LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British soul singer Amy Winehouse and hip-hop star Kanye West, both recovering from personal tragedies in the past year, won four Grammy Awards each on Sunday and remain in contention for more of the music industrys top honors.
Winehouse, 24, won two key Grammys -- song of the year for her signature hit, "Rehab," and best new artist -- as well as awards for female pop vocal solo performance for "Rehab," and pop vocal album for "Back to Black," her breakthrough release.
Winehouse, who received six nominations, was unable to bask in the public acclaim. She is in London, being treated at a rehab clinic for a drug problem that kept her in the headlines for much of last year.
She was scheduled to perform both "Rehab" and another tune, "You Know Im No Good," via satellite from a recording studio later during the Grammy telecast. She will compete for record of the year and album of the year at the end of the ceremony.
West, 30, who led all Grammy contenders with eight nominations, won his awards in the rap field. He will also compete for album of the year and best rap/song collaboration.
Still mourning the death of his mother, college professor Donda West, who died in November after plastic surgery, West performed an emotional version of his song "Hey Mama." He had also shaved the word "MAMA" into the back of his head.
In accepting the best rap album Grammy for "Graduation," he tried to pay tribute to his mother, but was being drowned out by the orchestra music.
"It would be in good taste to stop the music," he said, and the orchestra duly complied.
"Mama, all Im going to do is keep making you proud," he said.
SPRINGSTEEN TAKES HOME 3 AWARDS
His earlier awards were for best rap solo performance ("Stronger"), rap performance by a duo or group with vocals ("Southside"), and rap song ("Good Life"). He competed against himself in the latter two categories.
Other multiple winners included veteran rocker Bruce Springsteen, who took home three Grammys. He would have enjoyed a clean sweep, but lost his fourth race -- best rock album -- to the Foo Fighters. His triumph helped to make up for his surprise omission from the album of the year category.
In addition to winning best album for "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace," the Foo Fighters took the hard rock performance award for their hit song "The Pretender."
In both cases, frontman Dave Grohl thanked his daughter, Violet, "for giving me the inspiration to write another record." His band also was up for album of the year, a field rounded out by country singer Vince Gills "These Days" and jazz veteran Herbie Hancocks "River: The Joni Letters."
Hancock won the contemporary jazz album Grammy for "River," which is a tribute to Joni Mitchell. The Canadian singer-songwriter, coincidentally, also won a pop instrumental Grammy for "One Week Last Summer."
Other double winners included R&B singers Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan and Alicia Keys, late jazz soloist Michael Brecker, pop star Justin Timberlake, rock band the White Stripes, and Beatles producer George Martin.
Martin and his son, Giles, were honored for producing "Love," a collection of remixed Beatles tunes released in conjunction with the Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil stage show of the same name.
(Editing by Steve Gorman)
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