Franklin welcomes 'Idol' to her hometown.

Byline: MIKE HOUSEHOLDER

DETROIT -- Aretha Franklin not only is the ''Queen of Soul.'' She's also the queen of ''American Idol.''

The music legend welcomed the long-running TV singing competition to her hometown of Detroit Wednesday.

The three musically accomplished judges -- Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. -- and host Ryan Seacrest were on hand at The Fillmore Detroit, as were the contestants.

But the star of the show was Franklin. She served as a mentor to the contestants and performed on The Fillmore's stage.

Her performance earned a standing ovation and a hug from Seacrest, who said ''Idol'' planned to honor the music ''born...