"Queen of Funk" Chaka Khan is set to perform the opening number for the 2019 Tournament of Roses Parade in addition to being the grand marshal. Parade officials say this is the first time in recent history that a grand marshal has pulled double duty on the big day.
Khan tells us she's excited about both opportunities but doesn't really know what to expect. She also says she'll be performing the second song on her yet untitled new album, called "Hello Happiness." Her first song "Like Sugar" has more than 6 million views on YouTube.
Her career spans nearly five decades in the music business. She won two Grammys in 2008 including best R&B album for "Funk This" and best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals for "Disrespectful" with with Mary J. Blige.
But she's perhaps best known for her earlier work, including 1974's "Tell Me Something Good" with Rufus and her solo single, "I Feel for You" from 1984.
Khan says her grandsons Jett and Josh Khan-Corley will be performing with her during the opening number and she's really looking forward to it. There's no word yet on what kind of car she will ride in for the parade route.
The 5 1/2-mile Rose Parade route begins at the corner of Green Street and Orange Grove Blvd. in Pasadena. The parade travels north on Orange Grove Blvd. at a leisurely 2 1/2-mile per hour pace and then turns east onto Colorado Blvd., where the majority of the parade viewing takes place. Near the end of the route, the parade turns north onto Sierra Madre Blvd. and concludes at Villa St.
