51st Annual Grammy Awards

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 8, 2009, honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2008. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, winning five awards, including Album of the Year for their critically acclaimed album Raising Sand. Krauss became the sixth female solo artist to have won 5 awards in one night, joining Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Beyoncé Knowles, and Amy Winehouse.^[1] Lil Wayne received the most nominations, with eight.

51st Annual Grammy Awards

February 8, 2009

Staples Center, Los Angeles

Alison Krauss, Robert Plant (5)

Lil Wayne (8)

https://www.grammy.com/awards/51st-annual-grammy-awards

CBS

The awards broadcast won an Emmy for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special.

Both and Chris Brown were scheduled to perform, but their performances were canceled after Brown was arrested for his act of domestic violence against Rihanna.

Rihanna

- Presents the award for best R&B album.

Whitney Houston

- Introduces a performance by Justin Timberlake.

Dwayne Johnson

- Introduces a performance by Coldplay.

Simon Baker

- Pays tribute to Gene Autry as the Lifetime Achievement recipient and presents a performance by Carrie Underwood.

Keith Urban

and Sheryl Crow - Pays tribute to Brenda Lee as the Lifetime Achievement recipient and presents the award for Best Country Performance.

Leann Rimes

and Al Green - Presents the award for Song of the Year.

Duffy

and Taylor Swift - Presents the award for Best Pop Collaboration with vocals.

Miley Cyrus

and Jason Mraz - Introduces a performance by The Jonas Brothers.

Emily Proctor

- Presents the award for Best Rock Album.

Blink 182

- Introduces a performance by Katy Perry.

Craig Ferguson

and Estelle - Presents the award for Best New Artist.

Kanye West

- Introduces a performance by Kenny Chesney.

Morgan Freeman

Herbie Hancock, and Natalie Cole - Presents the award for Record of the Year.

Sean Combs

- Pays tribute to Dean Martin as the Lifetime Achievement recipient and introduces a performance by Kanye West, M.I.A., Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and T.I.

Queen Latifah

- Introduces a performance by Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl.

Kate Beckinsale

and Charlie Haden - Pays tribute to Hank Jones as the Lifetime Achievement recipient and presents the award for best Male Pop Vocal.

Jack Black

and LL Cool J - Introduces a performance by Sugarland and Adele.

Jay Mohr

- Introduces a performance by Radiohead.

Gwyneth Paltrow

- Introduces a performance by T.I. and Justin Timberlake.

Samuel L. Jackson

- Introduces a performance by Smokey Robinson.

Neil Portnow

- Introduces a performance by Lil Wayne, Robin Thicke, and Allen Toussaint.

Gary Sinise

and T-Pain - Presents the award for Best Rap Album.

Will.i.am

- Introduces a performance by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

Zooey Deschanel

- Presents the award for Album of the Year.

Green Day

^[2]

Neil Diamond

became the sixth female solo artist to have won five Grammys in one evening. The artists who won five before her are Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Beyoncé Knowles, and Amy Winehouse.^[1] However, at the ceremony (2010 Grammy Awards) next year, Beyoncé surpassed the record by gaining six such awards.

Alison Krauss

In Memoriam[edit]

George Carlin, Jerry Wexler, Jerry Reed, Mike Smith, Rick Wright, Eartha Kitt, Buddy Miles, Mitch Mitchell, Earl Palmer, Buddy Harman, Freddie Hubbard, David "Fathead" Newman, Johnny Griffin, Jimmy McGriff, Mike Berniker, Teo Macero, Eddy Arnold, Nick Reynolds, Miriam Makeba, Odetta, Pervis Jackson, Cachao López, Norman Smith, Neil Aspinall, William Claxton, Neal Hefti, Jo Stafford, Levi Stubbs, Jheryl Busby, Norman Whitfield, Claude Jeter, Ira Tucker, Dottie Rambo, Larry Norman, Merl Saunders, F.M. Scott III, Delaney Bramlett, Alton Ellis, Shakir Stewart, Static Major, Leonard Pennario, Norman Dello Joio, Alexander Slobodyanik, Henry Z. Steinway, Earle Hagen, Isaac Hayes, Danny Federici and Bo Diddley.

The four Grammys won were the first ever Grammy Award wins in his Career.

Lil Wayne

also won his first ever Grammy Award.

George Strait

After a four-year hiatus, band Blink-182 announced their reunion before giving the award for rock album of the year to alternative rock band Coldplay.

pop-punk

LeRoi Moore, saxophonist for the Dave Matthews band, died on August 19, 2008. The video tribute to musicians who had died in the previous year excluded Moore, disappointing and angering fans. Neil Portnow, president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, responded with a statement noting that Moore was included in a list of deceased musicians in the program for the event, and "unfortunately we are unable to include all of the talented and wonderful people within the allotted timeframe." This created a tremendous outrage from the band's fans and many other music celebrities.

51st Annual Grammy Awards