Grammys Producer Apologizes for ‘In Memoriam’ That Left Out Joey

A producer behind this week’s 64th Annual Grammy Awards has apologized for the several omissions in the music awards show’s “In Memoriam” segment that honored musicians who died in the past year. Rock and metal fans were disappointed when the late Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison, plus Megaforce Records founder Jon Zazula and Moody Blues member Graeme Edge, were left out of the April 3 segment. Unfortunately, it’s a common occurrence at the Grammys.

On Thursday (April 7), Grammys executive producer Ben Winston explained that the Recording Academy, the institution that selects Grammy nominations and votes for the winners, picks the names for the tribute — not the show’s producers. However, he acknowledged the exclusions while proposing this year’s Grammys should’ve also honored those who died in the fatal crowd crush at 2021’s Astroworld Festival.

To Rolling Stone, Winston said, “Anybody who feels left out or feels almost snubbed by an in memoriam, I think from the bottom of our hearts, there can only be apologies because we go into this show only wanting to bring joy and love to people with music.”

He added, “As for the Astroworld victims … we should have done something.”

Jordison was a 2006 Grammy winner for Slipknot’s “Before I Forget.” The influential masked metal band was nominated six more times while he was a member. Jordison died at the age of 46 last year.

Zazula wasn’t a musician, but his impact on the music world was huge. He’s often credited with his late wife, Marsha, for discovering Grammy winners and metal legends Metallica. He died in February.

Edge, drummer for classic rockers the Moody Blues who’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the act, was part of the song “Nights in White Satin” that’s in the Grammy Hall of Fame. He also died last year.

Other omissions included rock photographer Mick Rock, King Crimson and Foreigner’s Ian McDonald, Skid Row’s Johnny Solinger, and LG Petrov.

Before the segment aired, host Trevor Noah said it was the part of the show where Foo Fighters were to perform, before the recent death of their drummer Taylor Hawkins caused them to cancel. A video tribute to Hawkins played before the “In Memoriam.”

Musicians that were recognized in the segment included Meat Loaf, Jim Steinman, The Rolling Stones’ Charlie Watts, ZZ Top’s Dusty Hill, Screaming Trees’ Mark Lanegan, The Monkees’ Michael Nesmith and Woodstock organizer Michael Lang.

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