The 2016 Grammy Awards ceremony was evidently a mixed bag, with some outlets expressing a feeling of awkwardness while others praised the many performances given.
Among such prominent acts was an annual “In Memoriam” segment dedicated to those in the music industry that have recently passed away. After honoring the late Natalie Cole, her family has come forth to express their disappointment in the overall performance and substantial lack of acknowledgement.
According to Cole’s family, it was outrageous that the R&B and jazz legend did not receive as much attention as other deceased celebrities. “Here is a woman who has been in the business for four decades, had 21 Grammy nominations and won nine Grammys. She deserves more than a minute-and-a-half tribute,” the late singer’s son, Robert Adam Yancy, told Entertainment Tonight. “It was shameless the way they minimized her legacy.”
Natalie Cole’s sisters, Timolin and Casey, were also vocal about their feelings. “Words cannot express the outrage and utter disappointment at the disrespectful tribute, or lack thereof, to a legendary artist such as our sister.”
The ceremony honored other late artists such as B.B. King, David Bowie and Glenn Frey with a prolonged musical tribute, while leaving Cole out of the spotlight.
The family was also outraged over the fact that Natalie Cole had won more Grammys than most of the late performers acknowledged, further questioning the underwhelming tribute to her life and career. B.B. King was the only late performer who had won the highest amount of awards, with 15 Grammys under his belt throughout his lengthy career.