Grammys Plan Tributes to Takeoff, Christine McVie and Loretta Lynn

CBS and the Recording Academy announced plans for several tributes during the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday. The in memoriam segment will honor the memory of Takeoff, Loretta Lynn, and Christine McVie, all of whom died in the past 12 months. Questlove is also organizing a tribute to hip-hop, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the genre.

Kacey Musgraves will take the stage at Crpyto.com Arena in Los Angeles to perform “Coal Miner’s Daughter” in honor of Lynn. The country music icon died on Oct. 4, 2022, at 90 in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Lynn won three Grammys during her career: Best Country Vocal by a Duo or Group for “After the Fire Is Gone” with Conway Twitty; Best Country Vocal Collaboration for “Portland, Oregon” with Jack White; and Best Country Album for Van Lear Rose. In 2010, she received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award.

Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt will be joined by Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood to pay tribute to McVie. They will perform “Songbird,” one of McVie’s songs from Rumours. McVie died on Nov. 30, 2022, at 79 in London. McVie and the rest of Fleetwood Mac won Album of the Year for Rumours. In 2018, Fleetwood Mac was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year.

Takeoff, born Kirsnick Khari Ball, will be honored by a performance of “Without You” by Maverick Music City and Quavo. Takeoff died on Nov. 1, 2022, at 28 in Houston during a fatal shooting. Quavo, his uncle, was with Takeoff on the night of his death. Takeoff, Quavo, and Offset made up the rap trio Migos. The trio won Grammys for Best Rap Album for Culture and Best Rap Performance for “Bad and Boujee” in 2018.

In addition to these tributes, the Grammys will also include a tribute to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. The Roots drummer Questlove will curate the special performance. Questlove hinted that it will feature “some of the biggest names from the genre coming together to celebrate hip-hop history – its past, its present, its future.”

The 2023 Grammys will kick off live from Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, with Trevor Noah hosting. It will also stream live on Paramount+. Bad Bunny, Brandi Carlile, Harry Styles, Lizzo, Luke Combs, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith, Kim Petras, and Steve Lacy are also scheduled to perform. Beyonce is the most-nominated artist with nine, while Kendrick Lamar has eight nominations. Adele and Carlile each earned seven nominations.