The Ross School brought the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin and her orchestra to the stage in East Hampton. This annual scholarship benefit celebrated the Steven J. Ross Scholarship Fund and was attended by over 700 guests who paid for the pleasure of Franklin's amazing talent.

Aretha Franklin takes the stage. Photo by Wire Image

The event began as most do with a lovely cocktail party on the grounds of the school. However, we were greeted by students from the school thanking us for making the night possible. Cocktails flowed and delicious tidbits set the mood for the evening to come. Each bite was heavenly!

The room buzzed with anticipation as Franklin, resplendent in pink and sequins, entered the room. Surrounded by her escorts, she took a moment to compose and then ascended the stairs and took the stage. Every seat emptied onto the dance floor and the room cheered for her nearly two-hour performance which included gospel-influenced standards "If You Believe" and "Respect," and the aria "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot." We were also treated to her rare performance on the piano.

This amazing and gracious lady, who generously donated her time, thanked all of us for coming, applauded the students for their hard work, and inspired us to support the Ross School's endeavors. The spellbound guests danced into the wee hours of the evening – all humbled by the performance they had been lucky enough to be a part of. A few notable names included Joy Behar, Dina Lohan, Rosie Perez, Darren Star, Countess LuAnn deLesseps, Bethenny Frankel, Nicole Ross, and host Courtney Ross.