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THE GRAMMY TELECAST WILL HONOR THE DEPARTED (BUT PLEASE, GOD, NO MORE)

Neil Portnow and Ken Ehrlich are doubtless hoping for the continued good health of every prominent musician. That's just the kind of guys they are, of course. But also, they must by now realize that the upcoming 60th annual Grammy Awards already has enough all-but-mandatory posthumous tribute segments. With plans to include show elements keyed to the 60th anniversary and to the host city, New York, there's a limit to the number of dead musicians they can honor this year.

Here's a quick rundown of key music people who have died since last year's Grammy telecast.

Highly likely to rate a special tribute segment on the show

Chuck Berry and Fats Domino. These '50s rock legends could be saluted together. Grammy credentials: Neither was ever nominated for a Grammy, though their most classic tracks predate the inception of the Grammys in 1958. Berry received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1984. Domino got his three years later.

Tom Petty. Grammy credentials: three wins, 18 nominations. Petty was MusiCares' Person of the Year honoree in January. Petty had two Album of the Year nominations in 1989, a rarity, for his own Full Moon Fever and Traveling Wilburys' Traveling Wilburys, Vol. One.

Gregg Allman. Grammy credentials: one win, nine nominations. The Allman Brothers Band received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. Note: Fellow band member Butch Trucks, who died on Jan. 24, was included in last year's In Memoriam segment.

On the bubble (a special tribute segment is possible)

Glen Campbell. The only reason I have Campbell "on the bubble" is that the Grammys already paid tribute to him in 2012 when he received a Lifetime Achievement Award. He performed in a segment which also included Blake Shelton and The Band Perry. The Grammys may decide he's important enough to single out again—or they may decide they already honored him (and did it while he was alive and able to witness it, always a plus). Grammy credentials: six wins, 20 nominations. First country artist to win Album of the Year (By the Time I Get to Phoenix, 1968). Three Record of the Year nominations ("By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman," "Rhinestone Cowboy").

Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell. These rock stars who took their own lives could be saluted together. Grammy credentials: Bennington: two wins, six nominations with Linkin Park. (One of those noms was for Best New Artist.) Cornell: two wins, 14 nominations with Soundgarden, Audioslave and on his own.

Al Jarreau. Jarreau died on Feb. 12, the date of last year's telecast. They worked in a quick mention on the show, but he didn't get his full due. Grammy credentials: six wins, 19 nominations (very nearly equaling Campbell's tallies.) Breakin' Away was an Album of the Year nominee. Jarreau was part of "We Are the World," a Record of the Year winner.

Walter Becker. Grammy credentials: Three wins, 10 nominations. Steely Dan received three Album of the Year noms (for Aja, Gaucho and Two Against Nature, which won).

Musicians and other members of the music community who will probably vie for a spot in the In Memoriam roll call

(Listed in reverse chronological order by the date of their deaths.)

Chuck Mosley (singer for Faith No More, Bad Brains).

Paul Buckmaster (arranger and composer). Grammy credentials: one win for arranging Train's "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)."

Robert Knight (R&B singer).

Keith Wilder (singer in Heatwave). Grammy credentials: two nominations.

Robert Guillaume (actor and singer). Grammy credentials: one win for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for The Lion King Read-Along.

George Young (founding member of The Easybeats and Flash and The Pan and producer for AC/DC).

Gord Downie (singer, songwriter and guitarist in The Tragically Hip).

Grady Tate (jazz drummer and singer on Schoolhouse Rock!). Grammy credentials: two nominations.

Bunny Sigler (songwriter and producer for The O'Jays, The Roots).

Charles Bradley (soul singer).

Seth Firkins (engineer for Future, Jay-Z). Grammy credentials: one nomination.

Johnny Sandlin (producer for The Allman Brothers Band).

Harry Dean Stanton (actor and musician).

Grant Hart (drummer for Hüsker Dü).

Jessi Zazu (lead singer for Those Darlins).

Virgil Howe (drummer for Little Barrie).

Don Williams (country singer). Grammy credentials: three nominations.

Troy Gentry (half of Montgomery Gentry). Grammy credentials: one nomination.

Jerry Lewis (comedian, singer, philanthropist).

Jo Walker-Meador (executive at the Country Music Association).

Barbara Cook (cabaret singer and actress in The Music Man). Grammy credentials: one nomination.

Chuck Loeb (jazz guitarist for Fourplay). Grammy credentials: three nominations.

Michael Johnson (singer, songwriter and guitarist).

Barbara Sinatra (widow of Frank Sinatra).

Bobby Taylor (soul singer with Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers).

Caleb Palmiter (guitarist for The Jayhawks).

Fresh Kid Ice (rapper in 2 Live Crew).

John Blackwell (drummer for Prince).

Dave Rosser (guitarist for Afghan Whigs).

Prodigy (rapper in Mobb Deep).

Sonny Knight (soul singer with Sonny Knight & The Lakers).

Norro Wilson (country songwriter and producer).

Keith Mitchell (drummer for Mazzy Star). Grammy credentials: one nomination.

Bruce Hampton (musician for Hampton Grease Band, Col. Bruce Hampton and The Aquarium Rescue Unit).

Jonathan Demme (director of such rock films as Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense and such other films as Philadelphia, which spawned a Grammy and Oscar-winning song by Bruce Springsteen). Grammy credentials: one nomination.

Cuba Gooding, Sr, (singer for Main Ingredient).

The upcoming 60th annual Grammy Awards already has enough all-but-mandatory posthumous tribute segments. With plans to include show elements keyed to the 60th anniversary and to the host city, New York, there's a limit to the number of dead musicians they can honor this year.

Allan Holdsworth (guitarist and composer). Grammy credentials: one nomination.

Sylvia Moy (songwriter and producer).

Tom Coyne (engineer). Grammy credentials: six wins, 18 nominations. Coyne won Album of the Year three times (Adele's 21 and 25 and Taylor Swift's 1989) and Record of the Year three times (Sam Smith's "Stay with Me," Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk!" (featuring Bruno Mars) and Adele's "Hello").

J. Geils (guitarist in The J. Geils Band). Grammy credentials: one nomination.

Paul O'Neill (producer, composer and songwriter for Trans-Siberian Orchestra).

Brenda Jones (R&B singer in The Jones Girls).

Lonnie Brooks (blues guitarist and singer). Grammy credentials: two nominations.

Sib Hashian (drummer for Boston). Grammy credentials: one nomination—Best New Artist of 1976.

James Cotton (blues harmonica player). Grammy credentials: one win, 10 nominations. Won for Best Traditional Blues Album for Deep in the Blues.

Tommy LiPuma (producer). Grammy credentials: five wins, six nominations. Won Record of the Year for George Benson's "This Masquerade," Album of the Year for Natalie Cole's Unforgettable with Love.

Joey Alves (rhythm guitarist for Y&T).

Robert "P-Nut" Johnson (vocalist in Bootsy's Rubber Band).

Don Warden (country musician and manager of Dolly Parton).

Joni Sledge (member of Sister Sledge). Grammy credentials: one nomination.

Valerie Carter (singer-songwriter in Howdy Moon).

Tommy Page (singer-songwriter).

Jim Fuller (guitarist for The Surfaris).

Bill Paxton (actor and vocalist in Martini Ranch).

Leon Ware (musician, songwriter and producer).

Larry Coryell (jazz guitarist). Grammy credentials: one nomination.

Clyde Stubblefield (drummer for James Brown).

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