Aretha Franklin’s absence from goddaughter Whitney Houston’s memorial service on Saturday was very noticeable – mostly because no one bothered to tell emcee Dionne Warwick that the Queen of Soul had not shown up!

Dionne, who was Whitney’s first cousin, gave a grand introduction to Aretha and then … nothing!

It later reported that Aretha, 69, had been suffering from ‘leg spasms’ and was unable to make it. But she did make her engagement at Radio City Music Hall that night and during the second half of the 100-minute show, she paid tribute to Whitney.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, she settled behind the piano and sketched out the words and melody to “I Will Always Love You.” Softening Houston’s all-time power ballad into a light, gospel reverie, Franklin paused to acknowledge the “homegoing” of “Nippy,” Houston’s nickname: More formally, “Miss Whitney Elizabeth Houston.”

“She was a very fine young lady” and “one of the best, greatest singers,” said Franklin, breaking back and forth between melody and spoken word, behind song and sermon. “She was giving, gave so much of herself.”

“God bless you, Nippy,” she concluded. “We’ll always remember.”

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