Kanye West, Amy Winehouse Grab The Spotlight At 50th Annual Grammy Bash

Amy Winehouse triumphed despite rehab while outspoken rapper/producer Kanye West gave an emotional tribute to his late mother Sunday as both performers took home multiple Grammy Awards during a splashy 50th anniversary bash.

Winehouse took home five trophies and West four.

West wowed audiences early in the night with a glow-in-the-dark performance of his hit, “Stronger,” and a sombre take on his song, “Hey Mama,” in tribute to his late mother, Donda, who died following complications from cosmetic surgery last year.

West’s mother was top of mind when the rapper accepted the Grammy for best rap album, thanking fans for the outpouring of support they’ve offered and then speaking directly to her spirit.

“I know you’re really proud of me right now,” said West, who had the word “Mama” shaved into the back of his head.

“And I know you wouldn’t want me to stop and you want me to be the number one artist in the world. And mama, all I’m going to do is keep making you proud. We run this.”

Winehouse, who performed via satellite from London, where she’s being treated for addiction problems, snagged the coveted best new artist prize, denying Calgary-bred rival Feist. She also picked up record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal performance and best pop vocal album for “Back to Black.”

Up for six trophies in total, Winehouse offered up a coquettish performance of her song, “I’m No Good,” which included a shoutout to her incarcerated husband Blake Fielder-Civil, and “Rehab.”

“For my Blake, my Blake, incarcerated, and London, this is for London, ’cause Camden town is burning down!” she said.

Herbie Hancock won the Grammy for album of the year for his tribute disc, “River: The Joni Letters.”

Legendary roots rockers the Band garnered a lifetime achievement award for their fusion of old rock’n’ roll, grassroots and Motown vibes.

Actor Tom Hanks announced the honour.

“Somehow these four Canadians and a guy from Arkansas came to define musical Americana like no other group before or since,” Hanks said, referring to keyboardist Garth Hudson, singer/songwriter Robbie Robertson, the late Richard Manuel, the late Rick Danko and American Levon Helm.

“Tonight the band are Grammy lifetime achievement award recipients.”

The pre-telecast show delivered three trophies to Canadians, including the legendary Joni Mitchell for best pop instrumental performance for her song, “One Week Last Summer.” Her album “Shine” was a long-awaited return to recording after she famously swore off the music industry, declaring it corrupt.

Vancouver crooner Buble took best traditional pop vocal album with his disc, “Call Me Irresponsible,” while violinist James Ehnes, of Brandon, Man., won best instrumental solo performance with orchestra for his playing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

None of the Canadian winners were at the afternoon ceremony to accept their awards, but Mitchell received additional kudos from friend Hancock, who also took best contemporary jazz album for “River: The Joni Letters.”

“First of all I want to thank Joni Mitchell, with her incredible words and music,” Hancock said in his acceptance speech before turning to a list that started with his mother and father, and included participating vocalist Leonard Cohen.

West, who has been known to throw fits over previous award losses, also won for best rap performance on the hit “Stronger,” best rap duo or group performance for the song “Southside” with Common, and best rap song for “Good Life.”

Canada’s polka king Walter Ostanek lost his 20th Grammy nomination for best polka album to longtime rival Jimmy Sturr, while Loreena McKennitt’s disc “An Ancient Muse,” lost best contemporary world music album to Angelique Kidjo and her disc, “Djin Djin.”

Other performances included a duet between Barbadian hit machine Rihanna and ’80s funk group The Time, a high-energy show with Beyonce and a youthful-looking Tina Turner and a Beatles’ tribute featuring the Quebec-based dance troupe Cirque du Soleil.

The show opened with a duet that paired Alicia Keys with never-before-seen footage of Frank Sinatra.

Nelly Furtado lost best female pop vocal performance for her song, “Say It Right” to Winehouse’s “Rehab,” and best pop collaboration with vocals for her song “Give it To Me,” with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake to “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)” by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

Other winners included Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who took a Grammy for best spoken word album for the audio version of his book “The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.”

The politician was up against former presidents Bill Clinton (“Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World”) and Jimmy Carter (“Sunday Mornings in Plains: Bringing Peace to a Changing World”).

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Winners at Sunday’s 50th Annual Grammy Awards:

Album of the Year: “River: The Joni Letters,” Herbie Hancock.

Record of the Year: “Rehab,” Amy Winehouse.

Song of the Year: “Rehab,” Amy Winehouse (Amy Winehouse).

New Artist: Amy Winehouse.

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Mark Ronson.

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.

Pop Collaboration With Vocals: “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On),” Robert Plant & Alison Krauss.

Pop Instrumental Album: “The Mix-Up,” Beastie Boys.

Pop Instrumental Performance: “One Week Last Summer,” Joni Mitchell.

Traditional Pop Vocal Album: “Call Me Irresponsible,” Michael Buble.

Alternative Music Album: “Icky Thump,” The White Stripes.

Rock Album: “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace,” Foo Fighters.

Rock Song: “Radio Nowhere,” Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen).

Solo Rock Vocal Performance: “Radio Nowhere,” Bruce Springsteen.

Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: “Icky Thump,” The White Stripes.

Hard Rock Performance: “The Pretender,” Foo Fighters.

Metal Performance: “Final Six,” Slayer.

Rock Instrumental Performance: “Once Upon a Time in The West,” Bruce Springsteen.

Rap Album: “Graduation,” Kanye West.

Rap Solo Performance: “Stronger,” Kanye West.

Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: “Southside,” Common, featuring Kanye West.

Rap/Sung Collaboration: “Umbrella,” Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z.

Rap Song: “Good Life,” Aldrin Davis, Mike Dean, Faheem Najm & Kanye West, songwriters (J. Ingram & Q. Jones, songwriters) (Kanye West Featuring T-Pain).

Country Album: “These Days,” Vince Gill.

Country Song: “Before He Cheats,” Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood).

Female Country Vocal Performance: “Before He Cheats,” Carrie Underwood.

Male Country Vocal Performance: “Stupid Boy,” Keith Urban.

Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: “How Long,” Eagles.

Country Collaboration With Vocals: “Lost Highway,” Willie Nelson & Ray Price.

Country Instrumental Performance: “Throttleneck,” Brad Paisley.

R&B Album: “Funk This,” Chaka Khan.

R&B Song: “No One,” Dirty Harry, Kerry Brothers & Alicia Keys, songwriters (Alicia Keys).

Contemporary R&B Album: “Because of You,” Ne-Yo.

Female R&B Vocal Performance: Alicia Keys.

Male R&B Vocal Performance: “Future Baby Mama,” Prince.

R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: “Disrespectful,” Chaka Khan, featuring Mary J. Blige.

Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “In My Songs,” Gerald Levert.

Urban/Alternative Performance: “Daydreamin’,” Lupe Fiasco, featuring Jill Scott.

Dance Recording: “LoveStoned/I Think She Knows,” Justin Timberlake, Nate (Danja) Hills, Timbaland & Justin Timberlake, producers; Jimmy Douglass & Timbaland, mixers.

Electronic/Dance Album: “We Are the Night,” The Chemical Brothers.

Bluegrass Album: “The Bluegrass Diaries,” Jim Lauderdale.

Traditional Blues Album: “Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live In Dallas,” Henry James Townsend, Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins, Robert Lockwood Jr. & David “Honeyboy” Edwards.

Contemporary Blues Album: “The Road to Escondido,” JJ Cale & Eric Clapton.

New Age Album: “Crestone,” Paul Winter Consort.

Contemporary Jazz Album: “River: The Joni Letters,” Herbie Hancock.

Jazz Vocal Album: “Avant Gershwin,” Patti Austin.

Jazz Instrumental Solo: “Anagram,” Michael Brecker, soloist.

Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: “Pilgrimage,” Michael Brecker.

Large Jazz Ensemble Album: “A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina),” Terence Blanchard.

Latin Jazz Album: “Funk Tango,” Paquito D’Rivera Quintet.

Latin Pop Album: “El Tren De Los Momentos,” Alejandro Sanz.

Latin Rock or Alternative Album: “No Hay Espacio,” Black:Guayaba.

Latin Urban Album: “Residente O Visitante,” Calle 13.

Tropical Latin Album: “La Llave De Mi Corazon,” Juan Luis Guerra.

Mexican/Mexican-American Album: “100 (Per cent) Mexicano,” Pepe Aguilar.

Tejano Album: “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Little Joe & La Familia.

Norteno Album: “Detalles Y Emociones,” Los Tigres Del Norte.

Banda Album: “Te Va A Gustar,” El Chapo.

Traditional Folk Album: “Dirt Farmer,” Levon Helm.

Contemporary Folk/Americana Album: “Washington Square Serenade,” Steve Earle.

Native American Music Album: “Totemic Flute Chants,” Johnny Whitehorse.

Hawaiian Music Album: “Treasures of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar,” Various Artists, Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku Jr., Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers.

Zydeco or Cajun Music Album: “Live! Worldwide,” Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience.

Reggae: “Mind Control,” Stephen Marley.

Traditional World Music Album: “African Spirit,” Soweto Gospel Choir.

Contemporary World Music Album: “Djin Djin,” Angelique Kidjo.

Polka Album: “Come Share the Wine,” Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra.

Gospel Performance: “Blessed & Highly Favored,” The Clark Sisters; “Never Gonna Break My Faith,” Aretha Franklin & Mary J. Blige (Featuring The Harlem Boys Choir). (Tie.)

Gospel Song: “Blessed & Highly Favored,” Karen Clark-Sheard, songwriter (The Clark Sisters).

Rock or Rap Gospel Album: “Before the Daylight’s Shot,” Ashley Cleveland.

Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: “A Deeper Level,” Israel and New Breed.

Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album: “Salt of the Earth,” Ricky Skaggs & The Whites.

Traditional Gospel Album: “Live — One Last Time,” The Clark Sisters.

Contemporary R&B Gospel Album: “Free to Worship,” Fred Hammond.

Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: Love (The Beatles) George Martin & Giles Martin, producers (Apple Records/Capitol Records).

Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “Ratatouille,” Michael Giacchino, composer.

Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “Love You I Do (From Dreamgirls),” Siedah Garrett & Henry Krieger, songwriters (Jennifer Hudson).

Musical Show Album: “Spring Awakening,” Duncan Sheik, producer; Duncan Sheik, composer; Steven Sater, lyricist (Original Broadway Cast With Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele & Others).

Musical Album for Children: “A Green and Red Christmas,” The Muppets.

Spoken Word: “The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream,” Barack Obama.

Spoken Word Album for Children: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” Jim Dale.

Comedy Album: “The Distant Future,” Flight of the Conchords.

Instrumental Composition: “Cerulean Skies,” Maria Schneider, composer (Maria Schneider Orchestra).

Instrumental Arrangement: “In a Silent Way,” Vince Mendoza, arranger (Joe Zawinul).

Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): “I’m Gonna Live Till I Die,” John Clayton, arranger (Queen Latifah).

Engineered Album, Non-Classical: “Beauty & Crime,” Tchad Blake, Cameron Craig, Emery Dobyns & Jimmy Hogarth, engineers (Suzanne Vega).

Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: “Bring the Noise (Benny Benassi Sfaction Remix),” Benny Benassi, remixer (Public Enemy).

Surround Sound: “Love,” Paul Hicks, surround mix engineer; Tim Young, surround mastering engineer; George Martin & Giles Martin, surround producers (The Beatles).

Classical Album: “Tower: Made in America,” Leonard Slatkin, conductor; Tim Handley, producer; Tim Handley, engineer/mixer (Nashville Symphony).

Orchestral Performance: “Tower: Made in America,” Leonard Slatkin, conductor (Nashville Symphony).

Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman.

Engineered Album, Classical: “Grechaninov: Passion Week,” John Newton, engineer (Charles Bruffy, Phoenix Bach Choir & Kansas City Chorale).

Opera Recording: “Humperdinck: Hansel & Gretel,” Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor; Rebecca Evans, Jane Henschel & Jennifer Larmore; Brian Couzens, producer (Sarah Coppen, Diana Montague & Sarah Tynan; New London Children’s Choir; Philharmonia Orchestra).

Choral Performance: “Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem,” Simon Rattle, conductor; Simon Halsey, chorus master (Thomas Quasthoff & Dorothea Roschmann; Rundfunkchor Berlin; Berliner Philharmoniker).

Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (With Orchestra): “Barber/Korngold/Walton: Violin Concertos,” Bramwell Tovey, conductor; James Ehnes (Vancouver Symphony Orchestra).

Instrumental Soloist Performance (Without Orchestra): “Beethoven Sonatas, Vol. 3,” Garrick Ohlsson.

Chamber Music Performance: “Strange Imaginary Animals,” Eighth Blackbird.

Small Ensemble Performance: “Stravinsky: Apollo, Concerto in D; Prokofiev: 20 Visions Fugitives,” Yuri Bashmet, conductor; Moscow Soloists.

Classical Vocal Performance: “Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Sings Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs,” Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (James Levine; Boston Symphony Orchestra).

Classical Contemporary Composition: “Made in America,” Joan Tower (Leonard Slatkin, conductor; Nashville Symphony Orchestra).

Classical Crossover Album: “A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane,” Turtle Island Quartet.

Short Form Music Video: “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” Johnny Cash.

Long Form Music Video: “The Confessions Tour,” Madonna.

Recording Package: “Cassadaga,” Zachary Nipper, art director (Bright Eyes).

Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: “What It Is!: Funky Soul and Rare Grooves (1967-1977),” Masaki Koike, art director.

Album Notes: “John Work, III: Recording Black Culture,” Bruce Nemerov, album notes writer.

Historical Album: “The Live Wire — Woody Guthrie in Performance 1949,” Nora Guthrie & Jorge Arevalo Mateus, compilation producers; Jamie Howarth, Steve Rosenthal, Warren Russell-Smith & Dr. Kevin Short, mastering engineers (Woody Guthrie).