Country trio, the Dixie Chicks, won the coveted Album of the Year prize for their Taking the Long Way, at the 49th annual Grammy Awards here on Sunday.
LOS ANGELES: Country trio, the Dixie Chicks, won the coveted Album of the Year prize for their Taking the Long Way, at the 49th annual Grammy Awards here on Sunday.
Hip-hop diva Mary J Blige and Dixie Chicks scooped the early awards in a show headlined by 1980s rockers The Police with a reunion performance.
Blige, who was nominated in eight categories, including record of the year, took early prizes for best R&B song and best R&B album for the track Be Without You from her platinum-selling The Breakthrough.
The album has sold more than 2.7 million copies in the United States alone since its release at the end of 2005.
"I thank you so much," a tearful Blige said, accepting her first award.
"For so many years I have been talked about negatively but this time I'm being talked about positively by so many people."
"This is a great night for me," the 38-year-old star said.
The rhythm and blues star attributes the success of The Breakthrough to a more upbeat approach compared with the angrier, more introspective mood of many of her earlier works.
Dixie Chicks won song of the year, best country album and best country group performance for their Not Ready To Make Nice, which addresses their vocal criticism of President George W Bush.
"Many people turned their TVs off," singer Natalie Maines said after picking up the best country album.
It was Maines who infamously said during a London gig: "We're ashamed the president is from Texas."
"We wouldn't have done this album without everything we went through so we have no regrets," singer Emily Robison added.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers also picked up three early awards, including best rock song for the Californian group's Dani California.
Blige was among a packed roll call of artists to perform live at the glittering gala, which The Police opened with a thumping performance of Roxanne, more than 20 years after the trio split up.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are The Police and we're back," frontman Sting said, to rapturous applause. The appearance has fueled speculation that the group is set to announce a world tour to mark their 30th anniversary.
Other performers included Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, the Dixie Chicks, Gnarls Barkley, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Shakira, Justin Timberlake and Carrie Underwood.
Elsewhere, British singer-songwriter James Blunt lost out in both the best song and newcomer categories, in which he was nominated for his hit ballad You're Beautiful.
Instead US country singer Carrie Underwood, who found fame as the winner of television talent show American Idol, won the best new artist award and thanked the show for its role in her rise to stardom.
Bob Dylan won an advance award for best solo rock vocal performance, beating Tom Petty and fellow sexagenarian Neil Young.
Considered the music world's equivalent to the Oscars, the Grammys offer prizes in 108 categories covering over 20 genres, including pop, rock, gospel and rap.
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