Natalie Cole was laid to rest yesterday (11.01.16).
The funeral for the ‘Miss You Like Crazy’ singer – who tragically died of congestive heart failure on December 31 at just 65-years-old – was held at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ, Los Angeles where mourners gathered to pay their respects.
Addressing the congregation, Lionel Richie paid tribute to the late star and spoke of the "extra pressure" she was under to succeed, given that her dad, Nat King Cole, was already a "superstar".
He said: "Natalie had one extra pressure that she was faced with every day of her life.
"She was a little girl who wanted to be a superstar in a family that already had a superstar. That’s what make her prize of winning so unforgettable."
Smokey Robinson spoke of his "blessing" at knowing Natalie, telling the mourners: "I feel so blessed to have called Natalie my friend, and my buddy, and many times my confidante. You are so real and down to earth. Now I have to say you’re so real and up to heaven."
Musical tributes were paid by Stevie Wonder, who sang an a cappella version of the Lord’s Prayer, and Chaka Khan during the three-hour service.
Following the celebration of Natalie’s life, the congregation gathered at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, where Natalie was finally laid to rest alongside her parents.
Natalie Cole laid to rest
