The 64th Annual Grammy Awards is finally here, but there are many Black artists we’ve lost in the past few decades who could not grace this year’s Red Carpet. Each of them influenced our current nominees in some way.
Ella Fitzgerald opened the door first, winning both of her nominations at the first ever Grammy Awards ceremony. Not every Black artist following Fitzgerald got to take home the gold, shiny record player. However, we remember their influence and contributions to American music and culture as a whole.