Befitting a woman whose influence spanned decades and genres, Aretha Franklin’s eight-hour memorial service on Friday encompassed just about everyone and everything. In the 4,000-seat Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Franklin was eulogized by former presidents, entertainment titans, and religious figures: From Bill and Hillary Clinton and the Reverend Jesse Jackson to Clive Davis and Franklin’s grandchildren, every aspect of her life was represented.

Letters from both Barack Obama and George W. Bush were read aloud. (Franklin, wrote Obama, reflected the “very best of the American story.”) Performers...