49th Annual Grammy Awards

[TV_Paige]

Blige Leads 49th Annual Grammy Nominations

Mary J. Blige

Veteran R&B diva Mary J. Blige was the breakout leader on Thursday, December 7, with eight nominations as the "49th Annual Grammy Awards were announced at the Music Box at Fonda Theater in Hollywood. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were also multiple nominees, garnering six.

Other multiple nominees were the Dixie Chicks, British newcomer James Blunt, John Mayer, Prince, and the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am. Blige's multi-platinum album "The Breakthrough" was nominated for R&B Album of the Year, and the hit, "Be Without You" earned Song of the Year and Record of the Year nods.

Justin Timberlake

Blige helped announce the nominees, along with Justin Timberlake, who also collected multiple nominations. When Timberlake brought sexy back to music, Grammy love came with it. The 25-year-old singer's second solo CD, "FutureSex/LoveSounds," nabbed nominations for Pop Vocal Album of the Year and Album of the Year.

The Dixie Chicks survived the controversy that followed singer Natalie Maines' criticism of President Bush in 2003, crowning their comeback year with a number of nominations, including Album of the Year for "Taking the Long Way" and Record of the Year for the single, "Not Ready to Make Nice."

James Blunt

James Blunt, who was on hand at the announcement ceremony, capped his stellar year with numerous nods, including Best New Artist, plus Record of the Year and Song of the Year for his ubiquitous hit, "You're Beautiful."

Corinne Bailey Rae, another presenter at the ceremony, matched that. Besides Best New Artist, she earned Song of the Year and Record of the Year nominations for her hit, "Put Your Records On."

The Dixie Chicks

The nominees for Record of the Year are "Be Without You" by Mary J. Blige, "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt, "Not Ready to Make Nice" by the Dixie Chicks, "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley and "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae.

Christina Aguilera grabbed two nominations, for Best Pop Female Vocal and Best Pop Vocal Album for "Ain't No Other Man." Blige was also nominated for Best R&B Album, along with Jamie Foxx, India.Arie, Prince and Lionel Richie.

Corinne Bailey Rae

Other nominees for Female Pop Vocal Performance were Natasha Bedingfield, Sheryl Crow, Pink and KT Tunstall. Male Pop Vocal Performance nominees were James Blunt, John Legend, John Mayer, Paul McCartney and Daniel Powter.

The nominees for Best New Artist are James Blunt, Chris Brown, Imogene Heap, Corinne Bailey Rae and Carrie Underwood. The 49th Grammy Awards are scheduled to air live on CBS from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 11.

[TV_Paige]

49th Annual Grammy Awards

General Categories
(winners will appear highlighted in red)

Album Of The Year
"Taking The Long Way" -- Dixie Chicks
"St. Elsewhere" -- Gnarls Barkley
"Continuum" -- John Mayer
"Stadium Arcadium" -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
"FutureSex/LoveSounds" -- Justin Timberlake

Record Of The Year
"Be Without You" -- Mary J. Blige
"You're Beautiful" -- James Blunt
"Not Ready To Make Nice" -- Dixie Chicks
"Crazy" -- Gnarls Barkley
"Put Your Records On" -- Corinne Bailey Rae

Song Of The Year
"Be Without You" -- Mary J. Blige
Songwriters: Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox and Jason Perry

"Jesus, Take The Wheel" -- Carrie Underwood
Songwriters: Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson

"Not Ready To Make Nice" -- Dixie Chicks
Songwriters: Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Dan Wilson

"Put Your Records On" -- Corinne Bailey Rae
Songwriters: John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou and Corinne Bailey Rae

"You're Beautiful" -- James Blunt
Songwriters: James Blunt, Amanda Ghost and Sacha Skarbek

Best New Artist
James Blunt
Chris Brown
Imogen Heap
Corinne Bailey Rae
Carrie Underwood

Best Short Form Music Video
"8th Of November" -- Big & Rich
"When You Were Young" -- The Killers
"Here It Goes Again" -- OK Go
"Dani California" -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Writing On The Walls" -- Underoath

Best Long Form Music Video
"Flow: Living In The Stream Of Music" -- Terence Blanchard
"Directions" -- Death Cab For Cutie
"Demon Days - Live In Manchester" -- Gorillaz
"I'm Going To Tell You A Secret" -- Madonna
"Wings For Wheels: The Making Of Born To Run" -- Bruce Springsteen

More Grammy Nominations To Follow Soon

[TV_Paige]

Grammys to Honor Doors, Grateful Dead

The Doors

The Doors, the Grateful Dead and Joan Baez are among the recording artists who will receive Lifetime Achievement Grammy Awards next year. Other honorees include Maria Callas, Ornette Coleman, Bob Wills and Booker T. & The MG's, The Recording Academy announced. The awards are decided by a vote of the group's national board of trustees.

"This year's group of accomplished honorees are as diverse as they are influential as creators of the most renowned and prominent recordings in the world," Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said in a statement. "Their contributions exemplify the highest artistic and technical standards that have positively affected the music industry and music fans."

The statuettes will be handed out during a ceremony before the main Grammys are handed out at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 11. The 49th Annual Grammy Awards will air live on CBS, a division of CBS Corp.

Stax Records Co-Founder Estelle Axton, Grammy-winning Composer/Lyricist Stephen Sondheim and Recording Engineer Cosimo Matassa will receive the Trustees Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the industry in a non-performing category.

[TV_Paige]

Grammy Awards Whistle 'Dixie'

by Phil Galloc

The Dixie Chicks 'make nice' with five Grammy Awards

The "49th Annual Grammy Awards" took a stand by championing a band that took a stand. The Dixie Chicks won five Grammy Awards Sunday night, including three of the top prizes for their first work after ruffling the feathers of politicians, right-wing pundits and some country fans with an off-the-cuff comment about President Bush.

The Dixie Chicks beats the backlash by picking up 5 Grammy Awards. Their song, "Not Ready to Make Nice," snared the Song and Record of the Year trophies, a bit of redemption bestowed on the country trio that had been shunned by country radio for their politics.

'Not Ready' was the band's first single from "Taking the Long Way," their first album after Natalie Maines' famous anti-Bush comment made at a London concert venue in 2003. Country radio mostly rejected the track -- it never cracked the top 20 -- as the band opted to attempt to nurture a new audience in the Adult Contemporary marketplace.

Mary J. Blige earned three Grammy Awards

The recording also won the Country Duo or Group Performance nod. "Taking the Long Way" was also named Album of the Year at this year's Grammys. The Chicks are the first act to sweep the top three trophies since Eric Clapton did it 14 years ago.

The Dixie Chicks are the first all-female band to win the record prize, which has never gone to a country title. It is the first song of the year winner to have a country connection since Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind" won for 1982 recordings. The three Chicks -- Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison -- wrote the song with Dan Wilson, formerly of Semisonic and Trip Shakespeare.

After "Taking the Long Way" was named Best Country Album, Robison thanked the core fans, noting the band is "without a genre" and "no regrets" for anything that has occurred in the last several years. Maines went for the jugular: "To quote the great Simpsons - 'heh, heh.' A lot of people have turned off their TV sets now."

The Red Hot Chili Peppers reach new heights on the

Grammy stage after winning four Grammy Awards

The Red Hot Chili Peppers took home four trophies including Rock Album while Mary J. Blige nabbed three. Her wins -- R&B Album, R&B Song and Female R&B Vocal Performance -- nearly mirrored the results of Mariah Carey last year; Blige, like Carey in 2006, had led the field in nominations with eight.

Rick Rubin, who produced the Dixie Chicks and Red Hot Chili Peppers albums, was named Non-Classical Producer of the Year. The Chili Peppers, formed 24 years ago, won Rock Song, Rock Performance by a Duo or Group and Limited Edition Package. "Stadium Arcadium" was the quartet's first No. 1 album in its career and has sold 1.9 million copies since its May 9 release.

"American Idol 4" champion Carrie Underwood became only the fourth country act to win the New Artist gramophone. She also nabbed the Female Country Vocal Performance nod. Besides Underwood, winners of two trophies each were Tony Bennett, George Benson, the late Michael Brecker, Chick Corea, Bob Dylan, Kirk Franklin, Gnarls Barkley, T.I., John Legend, Ludacris, John Mayer and John Williams.

Carrie Underwood takes home two Grammy Awards

Double winners in the classical categories were the San Francisco Symphony's recording of Mahler's "Symphony No. 7" in the category of Classical Album and Orchestral Performance and Osvaldo Golijov's "Ainadamar" in the category of Contempo Composition and Opera Recording.

For what appears to be the first time in its history, the Grammys had two ties: Latin Pop Album prize went to Arjona and Julieta Venegas and the Spoken Word category was shared by Jimmy Carter and Ruby Dee and the late Ossie Davis. Grammy officials were not able to confirm but the ties were likely the first ones since 1984.

Ceremony opened with Sting yelling "We are the Police and we're back" before heading into a performance of "Roxanne." The Academy's attempt to present unique pairings included a trio performance of young singer/songwriters Corinne Bailey Rae, John Legend and John Meyer.

Representing three different decades of R&B music

are (L-R) R&B great Lionel Richie, newcomer Chris

Brown and the legendary Smokey Robinson.

The evening had tributes to the Eagles with Rascal Flatts and Underwood and vintage soul with Smokey Robinson, Lionel Ritchie, Chris Brown and Christina Aguilera. Gnarls Barkley turned their bouncy "Crazy" into a funeral dirge set to a militaristic beat. Blige segued from her "Be Without You" into the Lorraine Ellison hit from 1966, "Stay With Me."

In the category of "as expected," winners were Tony Bennett's "Duets" album, Rubin for producer of the year, OK Go's video for "Here It Goes Again" and Bob Dylan's "Modern Times," which was named Album of the Year in the nation's top critics poll (Village Voice's Pazz & Jop), receiving the Contemporary Folk/Americana Album award.

Ten trophies were presented on the CBS telecast after 98 awards were given out during a pre-telecast ceremony at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

[Talker]

Woo Hoo chicks!!!

[TV_Paige]

49th Annual Grammy Awards

Grammy Award Winners

Album of the Year
"Taking the Long Way"
Dixie Chicks

Record of the Year
"Not Ready to Make Nice"
Dixie Chicks

Song of the Year
"Not Ready to Make Nice"
Songwriters: Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Dan Wilson
Artist: Dixie Chicks

New Artist
Carrie Underwood

Female R&B Vocal Performance
"Be Without You"
Mary J. Blige

Pop Vocal Album
"Continuum"
John Mayer

Pop Collaboration With Vocals
"For Once in My Life"
Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder

Country Album
"Taking the Long Way"
Dixie Chicks

Rap Album
"Release Therapy"
Ludacris

Rock Album
"Stadium Arcadium"
Red Hot Chili Peppers

R&B Album
"The Breakthrough"
Mary J. Blige

Producer of the Year -- Non-Classical
Rick Rubin

Traditional Pop Vocal Album
"Duets: an American Classic"
Tony Bennett

Female Pop Vocal Performance
"Ain't No Other Man"
Christina Aguilera

Male Pop Vocal Performance
"Waiting on the World to Change"
John Mayer

Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal
"My Humps"
Black Eyed Peas

Pop Instrumental Performance
"Mornin'"
George Benson (& Al Jarreau)

Pop Instrumental Album
"Fingerprints"
Peter Frampton

Rock Instrumental Performance
"The Wizard Turns On. . ."
The Flaming Lips

Rock Song
"Dani California"
Songwriters: Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith
Artists: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Solo Rock Vocal Performance
"Someday Baby"
Bob Dylan

Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal
"Dani California"
Red Hot Chili Peppers

Hard Rock Performance
"Woman"
Wolfmother

Metal Performance
"Eyes of the Insane"
Slayer

Alternative Music Album
"St. Elsewhere"
Gnarls Barkley

Dance Recording
"Sexy Back"
Justin Timberlake and Timbaland

Electronic/Dance Album
"Confessions on a Dance Floor"
Madonna

Rap Solo Performance
"What You Know"
T.I.

Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
"Ridin'"
Chamillionaire featuring Krayzie Bone

Rap/Song Collaboration
"My Love"
Justin Timberlake featuring T.I.

Rap Song
"Money Maker"
Songwriters: Christopher Bridges and Pharrell Williams
Artists: Ludacris featuring Pharrell

Urban/Alternative Performance
"Crazy"
Gnarls Barkley

Male R&B Vocal Performance
"Heaven"
John Legend

R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
"Family Affair"
Songwriters: Sly and the Family Stone
Artists: John Legend, Joss Stone With Van Hunt

Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
"God Bless the Child"
George Benson and Al Jarreau featuring Jill Scott

R&B Song
"Be Without You"
Songwriters: Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox and Jason Perry
Artist: Mary J. Blige

Contemporary R&B Album
"B'Day"
Beyonce

Traditional Blues Album
"Risin' With the Blues"
Ike Turner

Contemporary Blues Album
"After the Rain"
Irma Thomas

Female Country Vocal Performance
"Jesus, Take the Wheel"
Carrie Underwood

Male Country Vocal Performance
"The Reason Why"
Vince Gill

Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal
"Not Ready to Make Nice"
Dixie Chicks

Country Collaboration With Vocals
"Who Says You Can't Go Home"
Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles

Country Instrumental Performance
"Whiskey Before Breakfast"
Bryan Sutton and Doc Watson

Country Song
"Jesus, Take the Wheel"
Songwriters: Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson
Artist: Carrie Underwood

Bluegrass Album
"Instrumentals"
Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder

Contemporary Jazz Album
"The Hidden Land"
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones

Jazz Instrumental Solo
"Some Skunk Funk"
Michael Brecker

Jazz Instrumental Album -- Individual or Group
"The Ultimate Adventure"
Chick Corea

Large Jazz Ensemble Album
"Some Skunk Funk"
Randy Brecker With Michael Brecker, Jim Beard, Will Lee, Peter Erskine and Marcio

Jazz Vocal Album
"Turned to Blue"
Nancy Wilson

Instrumental Composition
"A Prayer for Peace"
Composer: John Williams
Artist: John Williams
Album: "Munich Soundtrack"

Instrumental Arrangement
"Three Ghouls"
Arranger: Chick Corea
Artist: Chick Corea
Album: "The Ultimate Adventure"

Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
"For Once in My Life"
Arranger: Jorge Calandrelli
Artists: Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder
Album: "Duets: an American Classic"

Gospel Performance
"Victory"
Yolanda Adams

Gospel Song
"Imagine Me"
Songwriter: Kirk Franklin
Artist: Kirk Franklin

Rock or Rap Gospel Album
"Turn Around"
Jonny Lang

Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
"Wherever You Are"
Third Day

Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album
"Glory Train"
Randy Travis

Traditional Gospel Album
"Alive in South Africa"
Israel and New Breed

Contemporary R&B Gospel Album
"Hero"
Kirk Franklin

Short Form Music Video
"Here It Goes Again"
OK Go

Long Form Music Video
"Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run"
Bruce Springsteen

Producer of the Year -- Classical
Elaine Martone

Classical Album
"Mahler: Symphony No. 7"
Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas
Producer: Andreas Neubronner
Artists: San Francisco Symphony

Orchestral Performance
"Mahler: Symphony No. 7"
Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas
Artists: San Francisco Symphony

Opera Recording
"Golijov: Ainadamar: Fountain of Tears"
Conductor: Robert Spano
Producers: Kelley O'Connor and Dawn Upshaw; Valerie Gross and Sid McLauchlan
Artists: Women of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Choral Performance
"Part: Da Pacem"
Conductor: Paul Hillier
Artists: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra)
"Messiaen: Oiseaux Exotiques (Exotic Birds)"
Conductor: John McLaughlin Williams
Artists: Angelin Chang with the Cleveland Chamber Symphony

Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra)
"Chopin: Nocturnes"
Maurizio Pollini

Chamber Music Performance
"Intimate Voices"
Emerson String Quartet

Small Ensemble Performance
"Padilla: Sun of Justice"
Conductor: Peter Rutenberg
Artists: Los Angeles Chamber Singers' Cappella

Classical Vocal Performance
"Rilke Songs"
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson
Peter Serkin
Track from Lieberson: Rilke Songs, The Six Realms, Horn Concerto

Classical Contemporary Composition
"Golijov: Ainadamar: Fountain of Tears"
Osvaldo Golijov
Robert Spano

Classical Crossover Album
"Simple Gifts"
Bryn Terfel
Artists: London Voices with London Symphony Orchestra

Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
"Walk the Line"
Artists: Joaquin Phoenix and Various Artists

Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
"Memoirs of a Geisha"
Composer: John Williams

Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Song: "Our Town"
Film: "Cars"
Songwriter: Randy Newman
Artist: James Taylor

Musical Show Album
"Jersey Boys"

Musical Album for Children
"Catch That Train"
Dan Zanes and Friends

Comedy Album
"The Carnegie Hall Performance"
Lewis Black

New Age Album
"Amarantine"
Enya

Traditional Folk Album
"We Shall Overcome the Seeger Sessions"
Bruce Springsteen

Contemporary Folk/Americana Album
"Modern Times"
Bob Dylan

Latin Pop Album
(Tie)
"Adentro"
Arjona

"Limon Y Sal"
Julieta Venegas

Latin Rock, Alternative or Urban Album
"Amar Es Combatir"
Mana

Tropical Latin Album
"Directo Al Corazon"
Gilberto Santa Rosa

Mexican/Mexican-American Album
"Historias De Mi Tierra"
Pepe Aguilar

Tejano Album
"Sigue El Taconazo"
Chente Barrera

Norteno Album
"Historias Que Contar"
Los Tigres Del Norte

Banda Album
"Mas Alla Del Sol"
Joan Sebastian

Latin Jazz Album
"Simpatico"
The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project

Native American Music Album
"Dance With the Wind"
Mary Youngblood

Hawaiian Music Album
"Legends of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Live From Maui"
Various Artists

Reggae Album
"Love Is My Religion"
Ziggy Marley

Traditional World Music Album
"Blessed"
Soweto Gospel Choir

Contemporary World Music Album
"Wonder Wheel"
The Klezmatics

Polka Album
"Polka in Paradise"
Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra

Sppoken Word Album for Children
"Blah Blah Blah: Stories About Clams, Swamp Monsters, Pirates and Dogs"
Bill Harley

Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books and Story Telling)
(Tie)
"Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis"
Writer: Jimmy Carter
Artist: Jimmy Carter

"With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together"
Writers: Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee
Artists: Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee

Recording Package
"10,000 Days"
Art Director: Adam Jones
Artists: Tool

Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
"Stadium Arcadium"
Art Directors: Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith and Matt Taylor
Artists: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Album Notes
"If You Got to Ask, You Ain't Got It!"
Album Notes Writer: Dan Morgenstern
Artist: Fats Waller

Historical Album
"Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry 1891-1922."

Engineered Album -- Classical
"Elgar: Enigma Variations;
Britten: the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Four Sea Interludes"
Engineer: Michael Bishop
Artists: Paavo Jarvi and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Engineered Album -- Non-Classical
"At War With the Mystics"
Engineers: The Flaming Lips and Dave Fridmann
Artists: The Flaming Lips

Remixed Recording -- Non-Classical
"Talk (Thin White Duke Mix)"
Remixer: Jacques Lu Cont
Artist: Coldplay

Surround Sound Album
"Morph the Cat"
Surround Mastering: Darcy Proper

[yath]

What was Colbert like as host? I didn't see the show, but I think I would have watched it just for him!!

[Talker]

There was no host, he wasnt even there, or they didnt show him

[yath]

Yah, I heard that today. I had read in the paper that Colbert was going to host it. Guess somebody changed their mind.

[yath]

Just heard on the news that apparently the rumor about Colbert hosting was started on the Internet, and stupidly picked up by both American and Canadian newspapers, and printed without checking the facts.

DUH...