Melissa Etheridge wows audience at Ray Charles-dominated Grammys (15135)

The Grammys got soul on Sunday, honoring Ray Charles with five posthumous awards, including the coveted Album and Record of the Year prizes. The event--which featured a bald-headed Melissa Etheridge, in her first public performance since announcing her breast cancer diagnosis, doing a scorching "Another Piece of My Heart" with Joss Stone--marked the first time Charles ever received the album prize and the first time the award has gone to a deceased artist since John Lennon (and widow Yoko Ono) won the prize in 1982 for Double Fantasy. Charles's career Grammy haul now stands at 17, tied with bluegrass musician Alison Krauss and Irish rockers U2 at number 8 on the all-time list of Grammy winners.

"He's just made his career about another 50 years longer," said Phil Ramone, one of the producers of Genius Loves Company, which Charles worked on until a few months before his death last June at the age of 73. The album had been a sentimental favorite, especially given the Oscar buzz surrounding Jamie's Foxx's electric turn as the "genius of soul" in the movie Ray.

But the Grammys also delivered some big shocks. Leading nominee Kanye West was snubbed in most categories, including Best New Artist. That prize went to clean-cut pop band Maroon5, whose stunned members said West deserved the award equally. West took the high road, telling reporters, "I love Maroon5." It was a far cry from his outburst at the American Music Awards last November when he lost the new artist race to country singer Gretchen Wilson.

Grammy organizers, who have taken a lot of heat over the years for some dubious choices, have tightened up selection procedures. But the West oversight, after he released one of the most acclaimed albums of 2004, could prompt renewed criticism of the event's credibility. West, who led the field with 10 nominations, ended up with three awards, including Best Rap Album for The College Dropout and Rap Song for "Jesus Walks." U2 and R&B singer Usher also won three each. It was a clean sweep for U2, while Usher had received eight nominations.

Singer-songwriter John Mayer also seemed a little abashed to win the Song of the Year prize, joking that he planned to give the base of his statuette to R&B singer Alicia Keys, who won four Grammys, having also received eight nominations. Mayer took home two Grammys, as did jazz pianist Norah Jones, one of Charles's collaborators. Other two-time winners included country veteran Loretta Lynn, funk musician Prince, roots rocker Ben Harper, and punk rock trio Green Day, who had received six nominations.

Charles was nominated seven times in six categories. The album also won production awards for arrangement, engineering, and surround sound, bringing its overall tally to eight out of 10 nominations. Genius Loves Company has become the biggest of Charles's career, selling 2.1 million copies since its release in September, despite a near-total lack of radio airplay. In addition to Album of the Year, Charles won Record of the Year for "Here We Go Again," a duet with Jones. Their song also won the Grammy for Pop Collaboration With Vocals. Charles won the Gospel performance category for his duet with Gladys Knight, "Heaven Help Us All." He also won the Pop Vocal Album category. Charles beat himself in the Pop Collaboration category, where his duet with Elton John, "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," was also nominated. In the traditional R&B vocal race, his collaboration with B.B. King on "Sinner's Prayer," lost to Prince's "Musicology."

U2 won Grammys for rock song, short-form video, and rock performance for its tune "Vertigo." The band performed the song "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own," a tribute to front man Bono's father, who died a few years ago. The band's guitarist, the Edge, dedicated the latter award to his young daughter, Sian, who is reportedly suffering from leukemia, although the band had not commented on the matter. In a rare turn at the microphone, drummer Larry Mullen Jr. apologized to fans for the recent snafu where many fan club members were unable to buy tickets for the shows, which quickly sold out.

Here is a complete listing of winners at the 47th annual Grammy Awards:

Record of the Year: "Here We Go Again," Ray Charles and Norah Jones; John Burk, producer; Terry Howard and Al Schmitt, engineers and mixers
Album of the Year: Genius Loves Company, Ray Charles and various artists; John Burk, Terry Howard, Don Mizell, Phil Ramone and Herbert Waltl, producers; Robert Fernandez, John Harris, Terry Howard, Pete Karam, Joel Moss, Seth Presant, Al Schmitt and Ed Thacker, engineers and mixers; Robert Hadley and Doug Sax, mastering engineers
Song of the Year: "Daughters," John Mayer, songwriter
Best New Artist: Maroon5
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: "Sunrise," Norah Jones
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "Daughters," John Mayer
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal: "Heaven," Los Lonely Boys
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals: "Here We Go Again," Ray Charles and Norah Jones
Best Pop Instrumental Performance: "11th Commandment," Ben Harper
Best Pop Instrumental Album: Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar, various artists; James Jensen, producer
Best Pop Vocal Album:Genius Loves Company, Ray Charles and Various Artists
Best Dance Recording: "Toxic," Britney Spears; Avant and Bloodshy, producers; Niklas Flyckt, mixer
Best Electronic/Dance Album: Kish Kash, Basement Jaxx
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Stardust...The Great American Songbook Volume III, Rod Stewart
Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance: "Code Of Silence," Bruce Springsteen
Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal: "Vertigo," U2
Best Hard Rock Performance: "Slither," Velvet Revolver
Best Metal Performance: "Whiplash," Motorhead
Best Rock Instrumental Performance: "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow," Brian Wilson
Best Rock Song: "Vertigo," Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge and Larry Mullen, songwriters
Best Rock Album: American Idiot, Green Day
Best Alternative Music Album: A Ghost Is Born, Wilco
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "If I Ain't Got You," Alicia Keys
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: "Call My Name," Prince
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: "My Boo," Usher and Alicia Keys
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: "Musicology," Prince
Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Cross My Mind," Jill Scott
Best R&B Song: "You Don't Know My Name," Alicia Keys, Harold Lilly and Kanye West, songwriters
Best R&B Album: The Diary of Alicia Keys, Alicia Keys
Best Contemporary R&B Album: Confessions, Usher
Best Rap Solo Performance: "99 Problems," Jay-Z
Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "Let's Get It Started," the Black Eyed Peas
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "Yeah!" Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris
Best Rap Song: "Jesus Walks," Miri Ben Ari, C. Smith and Kanye West, songwriters
Best Rap Album: The College Dropout, Kanye West
Best Female Country Vocal Performance: "Redneck Woman," Gretchen Wilson
Best Male Country Vocal Performance: "Live Like You Were Dying," Tim McGraw
Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal: "Top of the World," Dixie Chicks
Best Country Collaboration With Vocals: "Portland Oregon," Loretta Lynn and Jack White
Best Country Instrumental Performance: "Earl's Breakdown," Nitty Gritty Dirt Band featuring Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Vassar Clements and Jerry Douglas
Best Country Song: "Live Like You Were Dying," Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman, songwriters
Best Country Album: Van Lear Rose, Loretta Lynn
Best Bluegrass Album: Brand New Strings, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder
Best New Age Album: Returning, Will Ackerman
Best Contemporary Jazz Album: Unspeakable, Bill Frisell
Best Jazz Vocal Album: R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal), Nancy Wilson
Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, "Speak Like A Child," Herbie Hancock, soloist
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: Illuminations, McCoy Tyner with Gary Bartz, Terence Blanchard, Christian McBride and Lewis Nash
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Concert In the Garden, Maria Schneider Orchestra
Best Latin Jazz Album: Land of the Sun, Charlie Haden
Best Gospel Performance: "Heaven Help Us All," Ray Charles and Gladys Knight
Best Rock Gospel Album: Wire, Third Day
Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: All Things New, Steven Curtis Chapman
Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album: Worship & Faith, Randy Travis
Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album: There Will Be a Light, Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama
Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: Nothing Without You, Smokie Norful
Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album: Live...This Is Your House, Carol Cymbala, choir director; the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Best Latin Pop Album: Amar Sin Mentiras, Marc Anthony
Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album: Street Signs, Ozomatli
Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album: Ahora Si! Israel Lopez "Cachao"
Best Salsa/Merengue Album: Across 110th Street, Spanish Harlem Orchestra Featuring Ruben Blades
Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album: Intimamente, Intocable
Best Tejano Album: Polkas, Gritos y Acordeones, David Lee Garza, Joel Guzman and Sunny Sauceda
Best Traditional Blues Album: Blues to the Bone, Etta James
Best Contemporary Blues Album: Keep It Simple, Keb' Mo'
Best Traditional Folk Album: Beautiful Dreamer--The Songs of Stephen Foster, various artists; Steve Fishell, David Macias and Tamara Saviano, producers
Best Contemporary Folk Album: The Revolution Starts...Now, Steve Earle
Best Native American Music Album: Cedar Dream Songs, Bill Miller
Best Hawaiian Music Album: Slack Key Guitar Volume 2, various artists; Charles Michael Brotman, producer
Best Reggae Album: True Love, Toots & The Maytals
Best Traditional World Music Album: Raise Your Spirit Higher, Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Best Contemporary World Music Album: Egypt, Youssou N'Dour
Best Polka Album: Let's Kiss: 25th Anniversary Album, Brave Combo
Best Musical Album for Children: cELLAbration! A Tribute to Ella Jenkins, various artists; Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, producers
Best Spoken Word Album for Children: The Train They Call the City of New Orleans, Tom Chapin
Best Spoken Word Album: My Life,Bill Clinton
Best Comedy Album: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Presents...America: A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction, Jon Stewart and the Cast of The Daily Show
Best Musical Show Album: Wicked, Stephen Schwartz, producer; Stephen Schwartz, composer-lyricist
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: Garden State, various artists; Zach Braff, compilation producer
Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; Howard Shore, composer
Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: "Into The West" (from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King); Annie Lennox, Howard Shore and Fran Walsh, songwriters
Best Instrumental Composition: "Merengue," Paquito D'Rivera, composer
Best Instrumental Arrangement: "Past Present & Future," Slide Hampton, arranger (Yo-Yo Ma)
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): "Over the Rainbow," Victor Vanacore, arranger (Ray Charles and Johnny Mathis)
Best Recording Package: A Ghost Is Born, Peter Buchanan-Smith and Dan Nadel, art directors (Wilco)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Once In a Lifetime; Stefan Sagmeister, art director (Talking Heads)
Best Album Notes: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Woody Herman and His Orchestra & Woodchoppers (1945-1947); Loren Schoenberg, album notes writer
Best Historical Album: Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues, 1945-1970; Daniel Cooper and Michael Gray, compilation producers; Joseph M. Palmaccio and Alan Stoker, mastering engineers
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: Genius Loves Company; Robert Fernandez, John Harris, Terry Howard, Pete Karam, Joel Moss, Seth Presant, Al Schmitt and Ed Thacker, engineers
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: John Shanks
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: "It's My Life" (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Mix); Jacques Lu Cont, remixer (No Doubt)
Best Surround Sound Album: Genius Loves Company; Al Schmitt, surround mix engineer; Robert Hadley and Doug Sax, surround mastering engineers; John Burk, Phil Ramone, and Herbert Waltl, surround producers
Best Engineered Album, Classical: Higdon: City Scape; Concerto For Orchestra; Jack Renner, engineer (Robert Spano)
Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost
Best Classical Album: Adams: On the Transmigration of Souls; Lorin Maazel, conductor; John Adams and Lawrence Rock, producers (Brooklyn Youth Chorus and New York Choral Artists; New York Philharmonic)
Best Orchestral Performance: Adams: On the Transmigration of Souls; Lorin Maazel, conductor
Best Opera Recording: Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro; Rene Jacobs, conductor; Patrizia Ciofi, Veronique Gens, Simon Keenlyside, Angelika Kirchschlager, and Lorenzo Regazzo; Martin Sauer, producer (various artists; Concerto Koln)
Best Choral Performance: Berlioz: Requiem; Robert Spano, conductor; Norman Mackenzie, choir director (Frank Lopardo, tenor; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra)
Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (With Orchestra): Previn: Violin Concerto "Anne-Sophie"/Bernstein: Serenade; Andre Previn, conductor; Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin (Boston Symphony Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra)
Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (Without Orchestra): Aire Latino (Morel, Villa-Lobos, Ponce, Etc.); David Russell, guitar
Best Chamber Music Performance: Prokofiev (Arr. Pletnev): Cinderella--Suite for Two Pianos/Ravel: Ma Mere L'Oye; Martha Argerich, piano and Mikhail Pletnev, piano
Best Small Ensemble Performance (With or Without Conductor): Carlos Chavez--Complete Chamber Music, Vol. 2; Jeff von der Schmidt, conductor; Southwest Chamber Music
Best Classical Vocal Performance: Ives: Songs (The Things Our Fathers Loved; The Housatonic at Stockbridge, Etc.); Susan Graham, mezzo soprano (Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano)
Best Classical Contemporary Composition: Adams: On the Transmigration of Souls, John Adams
Best Classical Crossover Album: LAGQ's Guitar Heroes, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Best Short Form Music Video: "Vertigo," U2; Alex and Martin, video director; Grace Bodie, video producer
Best Long Form Music Video: Concert for George, various artists; David Leland, video director; Ray Cooper, Olivia Harrison and Jon Kamen, video producers