Chaka Khan insists she never pulled out of a planned tribute to her friend Whitney Houston at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night (12Feb12) as she only heard about producers' plans after they invited Jennifer Hudson to perform.
The soul legend reveals Grammy bosses were considering asking her to perform I'm Every Woman - the hit she and Houston shared - but she felt it was inappropriate to sing the upbeat female anthem a day after the pop superstar's death.
Appearing on CNN show Piers Morgan Tonight on Monday (13Feb12), Chaka Khan said, "I don't know how it got out there that I was gonna be performing at the Grammys but everyone... was announcing it. So my sister Tammy (MCCrary), who is my manager, called and we talked to (producer) Ken (Ehrlich) and we asked him what's going on.
"Ken said, 'We've been kicking it around back and forth and we sorta decided that we're just gonna go with one singer and keep the thing tight.'
"I personally was not really willing to go and sing I'm Every Woman. I felt it was ridiculous and very inappropriate... As much as I am spiritual and I do celebrate death to some extent... as like a graduation out of the flesh into spirit... I'm taking this one kinda hard.
"I know what an intelligent, bright, funny, witty, loving, sweet person (she was) and a great force musically."