This year seems to be the year of posthumous Grammy nominations, with at least four recently deceased superstars up for awards this year. Carrie Fisher is nominated for Best Spoken Word album for ‘The Princess Diarist’, Leonard Cohen and Chris Cornell are both up for Best Rock Performance, and Cohen is also competing with Glen Campbell for Best American Roots Performance.
Here are five past artists who won Grammys after they died:
Ray Charles – Best Album for ‘Genius Loves Company’
1. Ray Charles – After already winning a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987 along with eight other awards, the soul legend actually went on to win eight more in the 2005 Grammys, the year after his death. It was the biggest win of the year and included Best Album for his last album ‘Genius Loves Company’.
David Bowie pictured in 2013
2. David Bowie – Just two days after the release of his final album ‘Blackstar’, Bowie passed away. But that didn’t stop him winning four Grammys earlier this year, for Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song, Best Alternative Music Album and Best Engineered Album – just to go with his 1985 gong and Lifetime Achievement Award from 2006.
George Carlin – FM & AM won him his first Grammy
3. George Carlin – One of George Carlin’s best ever moments was when he learned that his 1972 comedy album ‘FM & AM’ had one a Grammy while he was in the middle of a stand-up set. It was only appropriate that his later album – ‘It’s Bad For Ya’ – released a month before he died in 2008, was also a winner.
Joan Rivers – ‘Diary of a Mad Diva’ won a posthumous award in 2015
4. Joan Rivers – Another comedic act, the ‘Fashion Police’ star won her first Grammy after her death with her spoken word album ‘Diary of a Mad Diva’ in 2015. She had previously been nominated for Best Comedy Album for ‘What Becomes a Semi-Legend Most?’ back in 1984.
More: Posthumous Grammy nominees for 2018
5. Amy Winehouse – Thankfully, Amy Winehouse was alive to win her first six Grammys at the 2008 ceremony, but she died at the tender age of 27 before she got to accept the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance after her rendition of ‘Body and Soul’ with her ultimate idol Tony Bennett.
Amy Winehouse pictured in 2009
