From Mac Miller to Joe Jackson, the GRAMMYs honored music's recently deceased stars with a heartfelt and somber memorial.
The 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards took a moment to share some love and respect for the music stars who died over the past year, leaving behind incomparable legacies.
Outgoing Recording Academy president Neil Portnow took the stage for his final traditional GRAMMYs address, and shared his appreciation for those he's worked with over the years before presenting the pre-recorded In Memoriam segment.
The montage featured photos and videos of those who have passed, underscored by select samples of some of the late stars' music, and served as a sweet tribute to their memory.
Among those honored in the heartfelt segment were rapper Mac Miller, who died in September at the age of 26, Swedish DJ and EDM producer Avicii, who died in April at age 28.
The emotional tribute also remembered Buzzcocks rocker Pete Shelley, legendary jazz singer Nancy Wilson, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Ed King, Blues Brothers guitarist Matt Murphy, Carol Channing, and Jefferson Airplane co-founder Marty Balin, among many others.
The show also paid respects to Joe Jackson, the late patriarch of the Jackson family, who managed the careers of his children. Jackson died of terminal pancreatic cancer in June at the age of 89.
Meanwhile, the life and legacy of the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin were also celebrated immediately after the In Memoriam, as she was remembered with her own star-studded musical tribute.
For more on the lasting impact Franklin had on music and entertainment, watch the video below.
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