Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, and Smokey Robinson are slated to pay tribute to the late Don Cornelius this week at a second memorial service in his honor. “The Chicago Sun-Times” says the Reverend Jesse Jackson will deliver the eulogy at the service, which is set for Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California on Thursday. Donnie McClurkin and George Duke are also expected to perform.
Cornelius was remembered at a service at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago last Wednesday. The legendary “Soul Train” founder’s son Tony Cornelius tells the “Sun-Times” he appreciates all the support his family has received from fans in the weeks following his father’s death. He adds that he’s “pushing hard to establish the Don Cornelius Foundation, which will help and support families of suicide victims.”
The Chicago Sun-Times also reports The Grammys have responded to fans who were concerned that “Soul Train†host Don Cornelius and music icon Etta James were missing from the “in memoriam†segment at the awards show on Sunday night.
“Re: Etta James tribute was by Bonnie Raitt & @AliciaKeys at the top of the telecast & @Questlove gave special attn to Don Cornelius,†read a message posted on the Grammys’ official Twitter account on Sunday night.
In fact, Bonnie and Alicia did perform a moving tribute to Etta at the top of the show, but the absence of the “Soul Train†host who died as the result of suicide earlier this month, left many fans upset on Twitter as the “in memoriam†section aired.
Don Cornelius took his own life on February 1st. He was 75.
Rob Grill of the Grass Roots was mot listed