Natalie Cole's name was mentioned during the In Memoriam segment at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards but she was not given a special tribute. The improper tribute to the late singer has not only disappointed her family but also fans.
Unlike David Bowie, Maurice White, Glenn Frey and Lionel Richie, who were each celebrated with their own musical tributes during the awards show on Monday, Natalie, daughter of Nat King Cole, wasn't honoured with a tribute, reports aceshowbiz.com.
"Sadly a forgettable tribute to Natalie Cole," Natalie's sisters, Timolin and Casey, told Entertainment Tonight.
"Words cannot express the outrage and utter disappointment at the disrespectful tribute, or lack thereof, to a legendary artist such as our sister.
"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 (to be a part of) a minute-and-a-half tribute," Natalie's son Robert Adam Yancy said.
"It was shameless the way they minimised her legacy. We will find solace in her legacy as well as her endless fans around the world," he added.
Celebrities like Holly Robinson Peete and Eric Benet also expressed their disappointment over the matter.
"We lost so many greats but Natalie Cole first African American to win Best New Artist deserved a tribute #Grammys #BHM," Peete tweeted.
Meanwhile, Benet uploaded a video on Facebook ahead of the ceremony. In the video, he questioned Grammys' decision not to honour Natalie's contribution while also blaming the awards show for discriminating black music.
"Didn't even talk about Natalie, such a powerhouse of pop, jazz, soul, Grammy artist and no tribute to Natalie Cole. So Grammys, shame on you, shame on you, shame on you," Benet said.
