Where’s Aretha?

Video of the Day:

Aretha Franklin sings Bridge Over Troubled Waters at the 1971 Grammys

Question:  Where is Aretha on this stage?  Her sisters and cousin walk out to the middle of the stage to sing back up, in front of them is an empty church pew.  We see a man’s hands (probably Billy Preston’s) in close-up playing the organ and then Aretha, behind another organ, appears super-imposed across the screen.  But, we cannot see her anywhere in the long shots.  Nor, for that matter does the other organist seem to be anywhere on stage.  Strange.  But, what is not in question is the beauty of this performance.  Paul Simon”s Bridge Over Troubled Waters swept the Grammys that year winning Song of the Year, Record of the Year,  Best Contemporary Song and Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists while the album took Album of the Year.  This was the first year the Grammys were broadcast on TV live so maybe they were still working out the kinks but, wherever she was, Aretha sure did the Song of the Year and, Paul Simon proud.