The Recording Academy recognized many of the musicians and people who worked behind the scenes in the music industry who have died in the past year during the Grammy Awards on Sunday night. Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor, Clarence Avant, Jimmy Buffet, and Tina Turner were among those celebrated.
Stevie Wonder, who on Thursday presented Mariah Carey with the Global Impact Award at the Black Music Collective Ceremony, performed a touching piano-backed rendition of Bennett’s “For Once in My Life,” reviving a duet together as a video of Bennett played in the background, and “The Best Is Yet To Come.”
Before he began to play, Wonder, a longtime friend of Bennett, remembered the legendary musician’s “love for art, his love for peace, his love for unity, his love for civil rights.” He added, “Tony, I’m gonna miss you forever. I love you, always, and God bless that God allowed us to have you and us to have this time and space in our lives.”
In honor of Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O’Connor, activist and Scottish artist Annie Lennox sang an emotional cover of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a Prince track O’Connor covered in 1990 that catapulted her to fame at the time. Taking the stage with a tear painted on her cheek, Lennox’s performances followed a video tribute to Buffett.
Lenny Kravitz, who also received the Global Impact Award this year, took the stage to honor veteran music and entertainment executive Clarence Avant, recognizing the “behind-the-scenes legend” as the “Godfather of Black Music.”
Honoring Avant’s legacy, Jon Batiste performed Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and was joined by Ann Nesby for a celebratory performance of “Lean on Me” — whom Avant managed, and Sounds of Blackness’ “Optimistic.”
Media mogul Oprah Winfrey remembered Queen of Rock & Roll, Tina Turner. “A moving symbol of grace and grit, soul and power,” Winfrey declared in her powerful speech. “Our love and respect for Tina grew as we witnessed her bravely reclaim her freedom.”
In a honor of Turner, Fantasia Barrino took on the icon’s Seventies pivotal hit “Proud Mary.” Dripping in gold, Barrino delivered an act worthy of the hitmaker’s legacy and had the audience on their feet by the end of the performance.
Since the last Grammys, the music world has lost many pioneers, including Tina Turner, Jimmy Buffett, Robbie Robertson, Burt Bacharach, Sinead O’Connor, Tony Bennett, and Shane MacGowan. Other notable losses from the past year include Killing Joke’s Kevin “Geordie” Walker, Jean Knight, Smash Mouth’s Steve Harwell, Jane Birkin, Astrud Gilberto, the Smiths’ Andy Rourke, Gordon Lightfoot, Harry Belafonte, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Gary Rossington, “Fuzzy” Haskins, among many others.
The awards show, which Trevor Noah hosted, took place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The evening also featured performances by Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, Joni Mitchell, SZA, and Billy Joel. The artists nominated for the most awards this year included SZA, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Victoria Monét.
