She was a continent away, but that didn't stop troubled British soul-singer Amy Winehouse from being the main attraction at last night's Grammy Awards as she took home five awards, including best new artist.
But the singer herself struggled to live up to the preshow hype as the visibly jumpy 24-year-old labored through shaky but stirring performances of "You Know I'm No Good" and her signature smash "Rehab."
In a towering rose-accented beehive and a black ruffled minidress, she hit a few ragged notes before a supportive audience in a London club. Afterward, she looked completely stunned as it was announced that she won record of the year for "Rehab."
But while Winehouse waited offscreen to perform via satellite, the night's other big winner with four awards, Chicago rapper Kanye West, made the best of actually being in Los Angeles.
West delivered a literally electric performance of his Grammy-winning hit "Stronger." The staging -- lights low, West in a glowing vest and shades -- looked like a scene from a video game.
But the shades were gone and the lights were up during his tentatively sung but heartfelt performance of "Hey Mama," a tribute to his mother and former manager Donda West, who died last year of complications from cosmetic surgery.
With "Mama" shaved into the back of his head, the notoriously mercurial rapper/producer gave a characteristically pompous acceptance speech, during which the wrap-it-up music threatened to cut him off.
"It would be in good taste to stop the music," West said -- and the music stopped.
Undeterred, he closed by dedicating the award to his mother.
Ever mindful of the past as it tries to stay relevant in today's fragmented pop world, last night's Grammy Awards show kicked off with a smooth nostalgic touch.
Seated at a piano looking elegant in a '50s-style clover-green gown, pop superstar Alicia Keys belted out "Learnin' the Blues" as a video duet with a young Frank Sinatra. In recognition of the Grammy's 50th anniversary, it was a self-consciously classy but fluid connection of the old with the new.
Though there were a few noticeably forced collaborations, the Grammys last night did a better job with the old-school/new-school duets. Continuing the minitradition of reuniting acts from yesteryear, the Grammys featured the Time, the Prince-produced funk band from the 1980s, whose biggest hit from the decade was "Jungle Love." The band, which hadn't played together in more than 15 years, performed a snippet of that cut, mashing it with Rihanna's "Umbrella."
With blinking lights and twirling umbrellas galore, the production was overwrought and completely forgettable.
Although her staging of her performance was cheesy, Carrie Underwood, the former American Idol winner and one of country-pop's brightest stars, put a lot of energy behind "Before He Cheats," one of last year's best country hits.
The backing musical accompaniment of industrial-style percussionists, banging everything from tires to huge scraps of metal, was overdone -- much like Underwood's Nancy Sinatra-inspired hair. But none of it got in the way of her assured vocals.
In one of the better collaborations of the night, current pop diva Beyonce shared the stage with ageless legend Tina Turner.
Decked out in a painted-on silver pantsuit, the 68-year-old rock-soul star sang her 1984 Grammy-winning comeback signature "What's Love Got to Do With It" and "Better Be Good To Me" before inviting Beyonce back to the stage to do "Proud Mary."
Although Turner's moves aren't as torrid as they once were, she's still a strong vocal force. She held her own next to the much younger and agile Beyonce, who thankfully toned down her usual eardrum-busting wails.
rashod.ollison@baltsun.com
Grammy winners
Select winners of the 50th annual Grammy Awards.
Album of the Year:
River: The Joni Letters, Herbie Hancock
Song of the Year:
"Rehab," Amy Winehouse (Amy Winehouse)
Record of the Year :
"Rehab," Amy Winehouse
New Artist:
Amy Winehousemore winners, Pg 6c
Select Grammy winners
For a complete list of winners, go to baltimoresun.com/grammys.
Pop Vocal Album:
Back to Black, Amy Winehouse
Female Pop Vocal Performance:
"Rehab," Amy Winehouse
Male Pop Vocal Performance:
"What Goes Around ... Comes Around," Justin Timberlake
Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals:
"Makes Me Wonder," Maroon 5
Rock Album:
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, Foo Fighters
Solo Rock Vocal Performance:
"Radio Nowhere," Bruce Springsteen
R&B; Album:
Funk This, Chaka Khan
Female R&B; Vocal Performance:
"No One," Alicia Keys
Male R&B; Vocal Performance:
"Future Baby Mama," Prince
Rap Album:
Graduation, Kanye West
Rap Solo Performance:
"Stronger," Kanye West
Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group:
"Southside," Common featuring Kanye West
Country Album:
These Days, Vince Gill
Female Country Vocal Performance:
"Before He Cheats," Carrie Underwood
Male Country Vocal Performance:
"Stupid Boy," Keith Urban
Country Performance By A Duo Or Group:
"How Long," Eagles
[ Grammy.com]