Toni Cornell and Christopher Cornell.Photo: Amy Sussman/FilmMagic
Chris Cornell‘s legacy lives on at the 2019Grammy Awards.
The late rocker was also a father to daughter Lily, 18.
His two youngest children accepted the award on their father’s behalf. “It was very difficult because, obviously, we miss him so much and we saw him work on this so hard – he was always working on it music [because] it was his passion,” Toni told reporters backstage. “It was really sad in a way to feel like he couldn’t be there himself to accept it for something that he was so proud of and worked so hard on. Again, we’re so proud of him and it was amazing.”
Toni and Christopher Cornell.
Added Christopher, “I agree with mostly everything she says. It was just beautiful to watch. The amazing people that came and helped perform – it was beautiful.”
Cornell wasn’t the only artist who has been nominated posthumously for an award.Mac Miller, whodied in September, earned a nod in the best rap album category for his fifth studio albumSwimming.
Recording Academy PresidentNeil Portnow told PEOPLEprior to announcing the nominees that their voting process makes it possible to honor artists that have recently died since they “are really looking at the music that gets made and released in any given year.”
“Sadly, sometimes we lose some of those artists for one reason or another,” Portnow, 70, said. “Sometimes, sadly, that is just going to happen.”
Christopher Cornell, Vicky Cornell, and Toni Cornell.Neilson Barnard/Getty
Be sure to check outPEOPLE’s full Grammys coverageto get the latest news on music’s biggest night.
While Cornell’s death was ruled a suicide, his family has stated that they didn’t believe Cornell to be suicidal. Vicky said she believes thatthe side effects of the prescription drug Ativan— which can cause worsening depression and thoughts of self-harm in rare cases — may have impacted Cornell.
Paul Zimmerman/Getty
A month after his death, the rocker’s wife opened up to PEOPLE exclusively about her husband’s addiction and death.
“MyChris was happy, loving, caring and warm,” she said. “This was not a depressed man — it wasn’t like I missed that. What I missed were the signs of addiction.” Vicky believes that if her husband had not relapsed on drugs that night, he would not have died.
WATCH: Chris Cornell’s Widow Vicky Meets with Detroit Medical Examiner Four Months After Rocker’s Death
“He didn’t want to die,” she said of Cornell, who was prescribed Ativan as a sleep aid but doubled his dose the night of his death. “If he was of sound mind, I know he wouldn’t have done this… Addiction is a disease. That disease can take over you and has full power.”
The 61st AnnualGrammy Awardsare broadcasting live from Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on CBS.
source: people.com
