Eschewing a somber tone and downplaying the sadness of the task at hand, the 2024 Grammy Awards “In Memoriam” segment consisted of a 20-minute, multi-artist tribute performance. Stevie Wonder played “For Once in My Life” with footage of the deceased Tony Bennett, then “The Best is Yet to Come,” then ceded the stage to Annie Lennox accompanied by Wendy and Lisa on “Nothing Compares 2 U,” in honor of Sinead O’Connor. Before Fantasia brought down the room with a take on “Proud Mary” in the style of Tina Turner, Jon Batiste led a choir in “Lean On Me,” pausing to comment that the idea here was “a celebration of life.”
As each musical combo played, images and names filled large screens on the stage, listing the musical figures who died since February 2023. All the big names got a moment, including Jimmy Buffett, Melanie, Robbie Robertson, Harry Belafonte, Randy Meisner of the Eagles, Burt Bacharach, Shane MacGowan, Wayne Kramer, and Gordon Lightfoot. A few dozen individuals were honored, but the Grammys forgot several important people.
