Georgia Entertainment Scene
Georgia Entertainment Scene

Watch Usher perform a heart-tugging ‘Amazing Grace’ for Kobe Bryant

The Atlanta singer shared the song before the Los Angeles Lakers’ Friday night home game
Usher sits alone in the stands at Staples Center before his performance in a ceremony honoring the recently deceased Lakers star before a game against the Portland Trailblazers in Los Angeles on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Credit: Wally Skalij

Credit: Wally Skalij

Usher sits alone in the stands at Staples Center before his performance in a ceremony honoring the recently deceased Lakers star before a game against the Portland Trailblazers in Los Angeles on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS)
By Melissa Ruggieri
Feb 1, 2020

Before the Los Angeles Lakers hit the Staples Center court Friday night for their first home game since the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in last weekend's helicopter crash, Atlanta's Usher provided some musical healing.

Standing center court in a black suit, with purple and gold flower wreaths carved in Bryant’s jersey numbers of 8 and 24 behind him, Usher unfurled a deliberate and heart-tugging rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

Only pockets of cellphone lights dotted the darkened arena as Usher, backed by an organ, powered the song with ad libs that overflowed with gospel passion.

Earlier, Usher was photographed sitting alone in the arena amid a sea of Bryant jerseys bearing No. 24, which the Staples Center gifted fans at the game.

This week, Usher and T.I. were among the artists who supported a change.org petition to change the NBA logo to honor Bryant. 

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About the Author

Melissa Ruggieri has covered music and entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 2010 and created the Atlanta Music Scene blog. She's kept vampire hours for more than two decades and remembers when MTV was awesome.

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