"Dani California" earned them best rock performance by a
duo or group with vocal and best rock song, while 'Stadium
Arcadium' won two awards.
"Ladies and gentleman, we are the Police and were back!" said
Sting shortly before singing "Roxanne" to kick off the 49th Annual
Grammy Awards. It was the threesomes first public performance
since their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nearly
four years ago.
The Dixie Chicks remarkably bounced back from political scandal,
winning all five of the categories they were nominated for, after
some fan backlash resulting from some harsh comments made about
President Bush by lead singer Natalie Maines in 2003. "Not Ready to
Make Nice" won best country performance by a duo or group with
vocal, record of the year and song of the year, while 'Taking the
Long Way' earned them album of year and best country album.
Another big winner in country was American Idol winner Carrie
Underwood, who scored best new artist and best female country
performance. Underwood joined Rascal Flatts in paying tribute to
the Eagles with "Hotel California," "Desperado" and "Life in the
Fast Lane."
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, who were nominated six times, won four
awards. "Dani California" earned them best rock performance by a
duo or group with vocal and best rock song, while 'Stadium
Arcadium' won best rock album and boxed or special limited edition
package.
Dubbed by "Crash" star Terrence Howard as a "down to earth diva,"
Mary J. Blige won best R&B performance and R&B song for "Be
Without You." Her best-selling LP, 'The Breakthrough,' won best
R&B album. She had eight nominations - more than anyone else
this year.
For the first time in the history of the show, online voters picked
an unknown singer to join Justin Timberlake for a duet onstage in
the "My Grammy Moment" competition. American Idol alum and Oscar
nominee Jennifer Hudson announced Houston native Robyn Troup as the
winner, who excitedly took to the stage to sing "Ain't No Sunshine
When Shes Gone" and "My Love" with Timberlake.
Mary J. Blige, John Mayer, John Legend, Corinne Bailey Rae, James
Blunt, Beyonce, Shakira, Lionel Richie, Chris Brown, Carrie
Underwood, Christina Aguilera, Ludacris, Justin Timberlake, the
Dixie Chicks, Beyonce, Gnarls Barkley and the Red Hot Chili Peppers
were among some of the other memorable performers during the
telecast.
Multi-Grammy winners Burt Bacharach, Natalie Cole and Reba
McEntire, rapper/actor Common as well as actors Alyson Hannigan and
Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother), actress/singer Mandy Moore,
Academy Award winner Quentin Tarantino, actor Luke Wilson, Natasha
Bedingfield, 12-time Grammy winner Tony Bennett, comedian Lewis
Black, Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage, current Ornette Coleman,
LeAnn Rimes, Nicole Scherzinger (of the Pussycat Dolls), Seal,
actor David Spade, Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Joan Baez,
two-time Grammy winner Melissa Etheridge, Golden Globe and Screen
Actors Guild Award winner Jennifer Hudson, Grammy winner Queen
Latifah, three-time Grammy winner Chris Rock 24-time Grammy winner
Stevie Wonder, the Black Eyed Peas, Ciara, Nelly Furtado, actor
Terrence Howard, Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson, two-time
Grammy winner P!nk, and R&B sensation Rihanna all appeared as
presenters.
