Natalie Cole's Family is Unhappy Because She Did Not Receive a Grammy Tribute


Natalie Cole was a nine-time Grammy winner who defied genres. One of three Black women to win the coveted Album of the Year trophy and the first Black person to win Best New Artist, her recognition at the ceremony seemed inevitable.

Though she was featured in the collective In Memoriam tribute, Cole received no individual recognition during the more than three-hour-long ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Cole whose biggest hits included "This Will Be" and a duet with her late father, "Unforgettable," succumbed to "complications from ongoing health issues" and passed away at 65 years old on New Year's Eve.

The ceremony featured special tributes to Maurice White, Glenn Frey, David Bowie and B.B. King, but Cole's family, who has long been in the spotlight, took umbrage with their sister's absence.

"Where is the tribute to our sister?" Natalie's sister Timolin Cole told Page Six before the show. "We were hoping that there will be some sort of actual tribute to her fitting of her artistry and stature...She was such a force in the music industry and she transcended genres . . . I think she should be recognized for the impact she has had."

Holly Robinson Peete expressed her frustration on Instagram
Truly disappointed the #Grammys didn't think they should do a more extended tribute to Natalie Cole tonight. She was the first African American EVER to win for Best New Artist and her legacy in this business is unprecedented across all genres of music. The Unforgettable performances she had on the Grammys and over 4 decades of music should have been enough to bring out A list artists to tribute her...and no shade but I could suggest several numbers that could have been shorter- or not there at all -that could have been used to celebrate this wonderful artist. Hopefully BET awards will do an amazing tribute to her. PS: Stacey Dash: that's why we have the #BET Awards when people of color do not get properly tributed on a mainstream award show then we celebrate them ourselves... see how that works?? smh #yesimsaltyAH tonight 😑 I miss my Sweetie so much. #NatalieCole #unforgettable #restinparadise #blackhistorymonth
A photo posted by Holly Robinson Peete (@hollyrpeete) on


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