Three days before the 50th annual Grammy Awards ceremony, the "Queen of soul" for nearly half a century, Aretha Franklin, has been honored as the 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year on Friday, not only for her music career but also for her charity work.

"There may be a debate about who is the president, but there is no debate on who is the queen," said civil rights leader Al Sharpton, one of many luminaries on hand to pay tribute to the 65-year-old Franklin, who was last night’s benefit biggest star.

"As we celebrate the milestones of 50 years for The Recording Academy and the Grammy Awards, it is most fitting that we honor one of the most influential and legendary talents in music, the incomparable Aretha Franklin," said Neil Portnow, president of the MusiCares Foundation and The Recording Academy.

The awards ceremony dinner, which gathered around a handful of big names in the music industry, managed to raise a record $4.5 million for the musicians’ aid organization.

A visibly emotional Franklin, wiping away tears, took the stage to thank the crowd for the tributes. "Are you enjoying this as much as I am?" she asked. "I knew I would need two or three handkerchiefs in my purse."

A winner of 17 Grammys, Franklin went on thanking her friends and family, who accompanied her to the ceremony. "It took us about six days to get out here," said Franklin, who avoids flying. "I knew how the people in the covered wagons felt."

While artists such as classical pianist Lang Lang, Fantasia Barrino, Herbie Hancock and Bill Cosby all paid a tribute to her, Franklin only sang two songs before becoming back-up singer to her son Edward, who sang "His Eye Is On the Sparrow."