February 14, 2005 10:50

RAY CHARLES WINS EIGHT GRAMMYS

But Franz Ferdinand miss out...

The late, legendary RAY CHARLES was the major winner at the GRAMMYS in LOS ANGELES last night (February 13), picking up eight awards including RECORD OF THE YEAR, for ’GENIUS LOVES COMPANY’, the legend’s last album before he passed away last year.

Though they lost out on the three categories they were nominated for, Franz Ferdinand helped kick off the event held at LA’s Staples Center, by performing their hit ’Take Me Out’ in a medley type setting with Maroon 5, Los Lonely Boys and the Black Eyed Peas.

Queen Latifah hosted the three-hour long show, which featured live performances by Jennifer Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony, U2, Gwen Stefani and Green Day who won just Best Rock Album for ’American Idiot’ despite six nods. “Rock and roll can be dangerous and fun at the same time so thanks a lot,” Billie Joe Armstrong told the crowd upon accepting the group’s Grammy.

Kanye West picked up two of the ten Grammys he was nominated for – Best Rap Album and Best R&B Song which he shared with Alicia Keys. Dressed in a white and gold gown, she won half of the eight statues she was nominated for including Best Female R&B Performance. U2 managed to collect three awards off the back of their single ’Vertigo’, which picked up Best Rock Performance By A Group, Best Video and Best Rock Song.

First time winners last night included Britney Spears, who picked up her first Grammy when her song ’Toxic’ won Best Dance Recording and Brian Wilson got his for Best Rock Instrumental. Jack White of The White Stripes helped Loretta Lynn win Best Country Collaboration With Vocals, Brits Basement Jaxx won Best Dance Album Grammy for ’Kish Kash’, Velvet Revolver nabbed Best Hard Rock Performance for ’Slither’, Wilco received the Best Alternative Music Album award , and former American President Bill Clinton won Best Spoken Word recording.