An astonished Amy Winehouse couldn't hide her shock when it was announced she had won a prestigious Grammy award for best pop vocal album on Sunday night. The taxi driver's daughter, who accepted the honour via video link from a studio in London after having problems securing a visa to travel to LA, also won four further gongs. She picked up song of the year for her huge hit Rehab, best pop vocal album, best female pop vocal performance and best new artist – the first British winner of the title since Sade in 1986.
The beehived singer, who was supported on stage by her mum Janis, paid an emotional tribute to her parents and to her husband Blake Fielder Civil who is currently in detention awaiting trial. "To my mum and dad, for Blake, my Blake incarcerated," she said as she accepted the record of the year award for Rehab. She also referred to the blaze which destroyed much of Camden Market and one of her favourite haunts, The Hawley Arms pub, adding: "And for London. This is for London, because Camden Town is burning down."
The troubled 24-year-old's clean sweep at the Grammys bodes well for her future on the US music scene, which is notoriously hard to crack. However she missed out on the final award of the night, album of the year, to Hervie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters. The second most successful artist of the night was rapper Kanye West who took home four Grammys, including the best rap album honour for Graduation.
He dedicated a performance of Hey Mama to his late mother Donda who passed away last year from complications following cosmetic surgery, "I appreciate all the support, I appreciate all the prayers," he told the star-studded audience. "Mama, all I'm gonna do is keep making you proud."
Canadian jazz crooner Michael Buble won best traditional pop vocal album for Call Me Irresponsible while Justin Timberlake scooped best male pop vocal performance and best dance recording. The talented Alicia Keys – who opened the proceedings with a virtual duet with Frank Sinatra - won best female R&B performance for No One. Nicole Kidman's husband and daddy-to-be Keith Urban and former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood both picked up honours in the country music category.
US presidential candidate Barack Obama, meanwhile, won best spoken word album for the audio version of his book The Audacity Of Hope: Thoughts On Reclaiming The American Dream.
The audience, which included actor Tom Hanks and Welsh opera sensation Katherine Jenkins, was treated to several high-octane performances from the music industry's biggest stars. Beyonce Knowles teamed up with Tina Turner for a spectacular duet of Proud Mary, while Umbrella singer Rihanna - who won her first Grammy with Jay-Z for best rap/sung collaboration - also hit the stage.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
