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Grammy Awards

Emotion and dazzle

By GINA VIVINETTO
Published February 14, 2005

	[AP photo]
	Bono, right, The Edge, left, and the group U2 accept their awards for best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal for "Vertigo" at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday. Complete list of winners Photo gallery

Sunday's 47th annual Grammy awards presentation was filled with all of the festivities, fashions and foibles one expects from a gathering devoted to pop music.

The night paid many tributes to artists of the past, but no performer was on minds more than the late Ray Charles, who died last year at 73. His final work, Genius Loves Company, is an album of collaborations recorded in the last months of his life with many of today's leading pop stars, several of whom were in Sunday's audience.

Genius Loves Company won eight Grammys, including Album of The Year.

The sentimental favorite won Record of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration for Charles' ballad with Norah Jones, Here We Go Again, as well as Best Pop Album.

"I'm going to cry, actually," Jones said, accepting the trophy for Record of the Year. "I think it just shows how wonderful music can be. It's at a hundred percent with Ray Charles."

For the coveted Album of the Year, Ray's album beat tough contenders such as rapper Kanye West's brilliant debut, The College Dropout (nominated for 10 Grammys) and Green Day's thrilling punk rock opera American Idiot. However, that blow should be softened somewhat to those acts since each won the award for their respective genres; West for Best Rap Album and Green Day for Best Rock Album.

The night featured some truly riveting live music, including two tributes to Charles. First came a powerful vocal-piano duet between R&B singer Alicia Keys and actor Jamie Foxx, nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of the legendary musician in Ray. Foxx got himself again into character and the two performed a rousing Georgia on My Mind, which Ray made famous.

One of the night's most dazzling performances was a raw, emotional duet between rocker Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone, the young British soul singer nominated for Best New Artist, singing Janis Joplin's Piece of My Heart.

Those wondering whether the bald Etheridge was making a fashion statement should know the singer-guitarist is battling breast cancer and undergoing radiation treatment. Even viewers unaware were surely blown away by Etheridge's untethered delivery.

The night began spectacularly enough with an opening number featuring several of the night's nominees on separate stages performing a medley of their songs: Gwen Stefani and Eve, Franz Ferdinand, Maroon 5, Black Eyed Peas, and Los Lonely Boys.

Less successful was the much touted but ultimately puzzling duet between newlyweds Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, who sang in Spanish, against a soap-opera-style background of a plush bedroom. Stick to your own careers, kids.

Host Queen Latifah could be only so charming reading from cue cards filled with corny one-liners. Latifah, or Dana Owens, the birth name the rapper-actor uses on her Grammy-nominated jazz album, sang a medley of swing and jazz standards.

Latifah's sultry set was more appealing than the well-intentioned but sloppy tribute to Southern rock by a gaggle of country and rock superstars including Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, erstwhile Allman Brother Dickey Betts, Elvin Bishop, members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and country newcomer and Best New Artist nominee Gretchen Wilson.

Wilson is the "redneck woman," adding much-needed sass to today's estrogen set in Nashville. Wilson looks - unlike Faith and Shania - like she's done a shot or two of Jack Daniels.

Wilson did not, however, take home the Best New Artist award. That went, surprisingly, to Maroon 5. A fine band, to be sure, but with contenders as worthy as Wilson and rapper West, even audience members seemed stunned.

U2 gave a poignant, if not somber performance as lead singer Bono paid homage to his late father, Bob Hewson, before singing Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own.

Country veteran Loretta Lynn nabbed the Grammy for Best Country Album and brought to the stage her producer and collaborator Jack White of the White Stripes. The two bantered adorably.

"I love Tim McGraw," Lynn blurted out, peering into the audience for the singer and his famous wife. "Faith? I can't help it."

Fans of old school punks Green Day may have winced seeing their heroes participate in something so mainstream as the Grammys, but the trio did it with class. The band's members, all dressed in dark suits, seemed genuinely honored to take the stage, accepting the award for Best Rock Album. Leader Billie Joe Armstrong, polite at the podium and looking no less punk rock with his dyed black hair and dark eye makeup, said his thanks and assured the crowd, "Rock 'n' roll can be dangerous and fun at the same time."

-- Gina Vivinetto can be reached at 727 893-8565 or gina@sptimes.com

[Last modified February 14, 2005, 05:21:02]