"Genius" Ray Charles wins big at the 47th Grammys

Ray Charles

U2 won three awards, including best rock performance by a duo or group. Green Day, the most nominated rock act with six for their politically charged punk opera American Idiot, won best rock album. Alicia Keys and Usher shared an award Sunday night for best rock and blues performance by a duo or group with vocals for their chart-topping duet My Boo. Each was nominated for eight Grammys, Keys won four while Usher had three. John Mayer's mellow tribute Daughters won song of the year. The most nominated artiste of the year was perhaps the most versatile- Kanye West, the songwriter-producer who made his rap debut in 2004 with the cutting-edge CD The College Dropout. He was nominated for 10 Grammys, including album of the year, but only took home three, including best rap album and best rap song for Jesus Walks. Perhaps the evening's most exhilarating performance was from Melissa Etheridge. The rocker, who is battling breast cancer, took to the stage for a Janis Joplin tribute with a shaved head but nevertheless a jubilant voice, and received a standing ovation.

Ultimately, the night belonged to Ray Charles. Besides the four awards for best album and song, Genius Loves Company won for best instrumental arrangement accompanying a vocalist, best gospel performance, best engineered album and best surround sound album. Charles was 73 when he died in June, with a total of 12 Grammys in his 50-plus year career. The most he ever won in one night was four in 1960, including two for the classic Georgia On My Mind. That was the song performed Sunday by Alicia Keys and actor Jamie Foxx, considered an Oscar sureshot for his portrayal of Charles in Ray. Foxx, more than just a decent musician, sat at a piano opposite Keys as Quincy Jones conducted the orchestra. "For an old friend," Foxx said as he began to play.

Compiled by Cultural Correspondent