The 50th Grammy Awards could be one of the best. Battered by illegal downloading, and dwindling sales overall, the music industry desperately needs the extra exposure from Sunday’s event. It almost didn’t get the chance, due to the writers’ strike. But there should be some interesting pairings and potentially dramatic live performances that fans will be watching carefully.
Amy Winehouse and Kanye West are the most-nominated performers, and could be the top winners, at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, which will be shown live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles starting at 8 on CBS.
West was a late, but high profile, addition to the performance slate. The rapper, who leads the pack with eight nominations including album of the year, is expected to deliver a moving tribute to his mother, Donda West, featuring his hits “Stronger” and “Hey Mama.” Will West deservedly get the Grammy denied him in the last few years based on the sympathy vote because of his mother’s death?
Amy Winehouse a leading nominee (including best new artist and record of the year) is also set to perform after months of highly publicized personal struggles. will Grammy voters feel like enablers should they give out top prizes to Winehouse who has seemingly spent more time impaired than onstage in the last year? After struggles to get a visa on time while in rehab for drug abuse, Winehouse will be performing at the ceremony via satellite. “I’m really sorry I can’t be there but I appreciate that I’m being given a second chance via satellite,” Winehouse said in a statement.
Sunday’s show also promises splashy performances from Beyoncé, Carrie Underwood, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley and Best New Artist nominee Feist.
Those who can endure the lengthy 3-1/2-hour event will also see a segment pairing Rihanna with a reunited version of ’80s R&B hitmakers The Time, plus several duets - between Fergie and John Legend, Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban, and a three-way with John Fogerty, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Amy Winehouse Kanye West
Rap star Kanye West received a leading eight Grammy nominations Thursday, and the troubled pop/soul singer Amy Winehouse, whose promising career has been sidelined by drug and alcohol problems, followed with six.