Grammy Winners

The Dixie Chicks may not be ready to make nice, but the music industry certainly is, showering the Chicks with five Grammy Awards last night, honoring them in every category they were nominated in including the prestigious top three: Album of the Year for Taking the Long Way and Record and Song of the year for it's single "Not Ready to Make Nice."

Norah Jones was the last artist to score the triple in 2002, winning Album for Come Away With Me and Record and Song for "Don't Know Why," although technically she didn't win song because the award went to Jesse Harris. Eric Clapton then was the last artist to truly achieve the feat in 1992 with Album for Unplugged and Record and Song for "Tears in Heaven." Natalie Cole did it the year before with Unforgettable...with Love and "Unforgettable"--seems fishy to have awarded Best Song to "Unforgettable," given that it was penned years ago. No one did it in the '80s.

The Dixies also won best Country Album and Best Country Performance by a Duo/Group, which is particularly smacking, since that was the branch of the industry--radio mostly--where the Dixie Chicks contempt had been bred. Another country star, Carrie Underwood, walked away expectedly with Best New Artist. She is the first reality TV star to claim the honor. She also won Best Female Country Performance for "Jesus, Take the Wheel"; the song was also honored with Best Country Song.

John Mayer snagged the award for best Pop Vocal Album for Continuum, his first win in that category. He also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Waiting on the World to Change," his third win in that category. Another veteran won Female Pop Vocal, Christina Aguilera for "Ain't No Other Man." Surprise win in the Pop Duo/Group category went to The Black Eyed Peas for "My Humps," and the Pop Collaboration went not to one of the couplets of hot, current artists, but to the pairing of Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder for "For Once in My Life."

Madonna got an award for Best Electronic/Dance Album for Confessions on a Dancefloor, which is only her sixth Grammy. Best Dance Recording went to Justin Timberlake for "Sexyback," who also won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with T.I. for "My Love."

Other major album wins: Stadium Arcardium by Red Hot Chili Peppers (rock), St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley (alternative), The Breakthrough by Mary J. Blige (R&B), B'Day by Beyonce (contemporary R&B), Release Therapy by Ludacris (rap), Modern Times by Bob Dylan (modern folk/Americana). Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds was the only Album of the Year nominee not to win a best album genre award.