Dixie Chicks Sweep Grammys

Mary J. Blige, Red Hot Chili Peppers Also Take Home Multiple Awards

(CBS/AP)  The Dixie Chicks, who suffered a country backlash over lead singer Natalie Maines' criticism of President Bush in 2003, solidified their comeback with a sweep of all five categories for which they were nominated at the 49th Annual Grammy awards Sunday night in Los Angeles.

The country trio won record of the year, song of the year and best country song by a duo or group with vocal for "Not Ready To Make Nice," and album of the year and best country album for "Taking the Long Road Home."

"I think people are using their freedom of speech here at this awards. I'm very humbled. I think people were using their voice the same way this loudmouth did," Natalie Maines said through tears as she accepted the album of the year award.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers won best rock album for "Stadium Arcadium," and picked up three wins in the pre-telecast awards ceremony, including best rock performance by a duo or group for "Dani California."

The top nominee going into the show, Mary J. Blige, took home a total of three awards. She started the night with eight nominations.

Blige won best R&B album for "The Breakthrough" and best R&B female vocal performance for "Be Without You." She also picked up an award for best R&B song for "Be Without You" prior to the telecast.

"(This album) has not only shown who I am as an artist, writer and performer, it's shown that I am growing into a better human being," she said, accepting the award for best R&B album from the Black Eyed Peas. "For so many years I have been talked about negatively, but this year I have been talked about positively by so many people."

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Photos from the Grammy red carpet

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Blige thanked a long list of people before the music began playing - louder and louder - to signal her exit from the stage. Somehow, she managed to finish her list before she left.

The Police opened the show, with a reunion performance that won them a standing ovation from the crowd.

"We are the Police, and we're back!" shouted Sting, as the trio performed their early hit "Roxanne." They are set to go on a comeback tour this year.

"Keep it going, keep it going for The Police now," said Jamie Foxx as he stepped out to present the evening's first award.

It was two legends, Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder, who picked up the first trophy, best pop collaboration with vocals for "For Once In My Life" from Bennett's "Duets" album.

2"I must say to you that it's amazing to know that I did this song at 17 in a whole 'nother way and then to come back and do it with the great Tony Bennett" said Wonder, whom Tony Bennett referred to as "Stevie Wonderful."

During the show, younger artists introduced the Grammy lifetime achievement winners while established artists introduced the performances of younger musical acts.

Prince introduced Beyonce, and Stevie Wonder introduced a performance by Corrine Bailey Rae, John Legend, and John Mayer. Pink and T.I. paid tribute to the Doors, and The Black Eyed Peas honored Booker T & The MGs.

The Dixie Chicks were introduced by folk singer Joan Baez, who expressed her admiration for the outspoken group as she referred to her own role in protesting the Vietnam war, saying many times she was asked to "shut up and sing."

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Photos from the Grammy show

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Ludacris, no stranger to controversy himself, won best rap album for "Release Therapy."

3"You mean all I had to do to win a Grammy was cut my hair?" quipped a clean-cut Ludacris. He got another laugh from the audience as he gave a special shout-out to talk show hosts, Bill O'Reilly and Oprah Winfrey (neither present for the festivities), who've been critical of his lyrics.

On a more serious note, the rapper, whose birth name is Chris Bridges, dedicated his award to his dad. "This goes out to my father, who is in critical condition right now. I appreciate your prayers, Mr. Wayne Bridges, I love you to death."

[emme32]

At last year's Grammy's, Mary J. Blige sang "One" as a duet with Bono and U2, brought down the house, and her career took off. She has on occasion given Bono and U2 some credit for helping her gain respect and popularity. However, she forgot all about them last night in her endless list of "thank you"s, when they were the ones who gave her her big break. Evidently Mary J. quickly forgets who her friends are. She hasn't anymore talent than most other popular singers.

[bunlady-2009]

Last time I checked this was still a free country and the DC's are entitled to thier opinion and are entitled to express it. I never quit listening to thier music or buying it and never will. I try to judge artists on thier talent not on thier political beliefs, which I don't really care about anyways. If we shunned everybody that said something that we didn't like there would be nobody left in Washington. They may have picked the wrong forum to express their opinions but I will give them credit for having the courage to stand up for what they believe in. Go Girls I'm proud of you.

[pakaal]

Great music, courageous people, congrats to the Dixie Chicks!

Looks like a couple of those "Bush can do no wrong ever" folks decided to show up here and bash them for being so successful and talented.

Can you blame them? It's gotta hurt to see that the Dixie Chicks have been embraced by America, leaving the haters behind....

[one_american]

That fact that the Dixie Chicks took the awards is further proof that all of Hollywood and the music industry is nothing but bigotted liberal ideology and hate speech set to music.

I will never buy anything that reeks of political bigotry like what the Dixie Chicks put out.

Their careers have just ended, as far as half of America is concerned.

[e7eryday]

The fact that the Dixie Chicks took home so many awards speaks volumes on the fact that the Grammys are based on TALENT and not POLITICS. Frankly I'd prefer not to know ANY of the political, religious, or even sexual views of actors, musicians, and artists. I'd prefer to judge them based on their talent vs. their opinions. Ignorance is bliss in the entertainment industry.

[dogband]

Way to go DC! This will definately be my next CD purchase. Continue to speak out, because last time I looked, we still had that freedom in MY country. Hope it lasts.

[classicbike]

Although I have tended to agree with the Dixie Chicks opposition to the way we were brought to war in Iraq (Afganistan is wholly different and legitmate), Natalie certainly isn't my first choice as a spokesperson (sorry Natalie, you need to mature just a bit more). In interviews with the DC's Martie (even Emily) I've found has been the most articulate and considered. The Grammy wins do reflect the mood of much the nation and a poke in the eye of the Country Music Establishment (it was deserved) and a voice against the war in Iraq. Nevertheless, the awards, regardless of why they were awarded were earned by the creativity and quality of the music and lyrics of the album. Congratulations ladies and band, you did a heck of a job.

[BlueInWI]

:-) Go get em gals!! Richly deserved for the quality of the album, and even more richly deserved for their courage to speak out!!

True Patriotic Americans they are!

[perception5]

It's pretty simple........if you trash Bush in liberal Hollywood you too can get all the awards too.....

it worked for Michael Moore's propaganda film two years ago and today it's still working for the Dixie chicks........

[actornaught]

bigwhtpony, you lead off with enuff of a truth, tho' the "left-wingers" are your silly equivolent of boogie men. you're just another anti-rights neocon hate soldier, and your idols don't give a wit about you.

The Chicks put out a great album and deserved the Grammies. i personally don't think Natalie is much of a spokesperson, but she has her rights, no matter how hard the neocons want to take them away. She is a great artist and i wish the Chicks all the success they want.

Frankly, their winning the Grammy's speaks volumes on the mood of the country today. We are tired of Bush's lies and his deceit. I agreed with Natile 4 years ago and it's about time America wakes up and sees what the Bush administration has done. In my opinion Bush doesn't deserve any respect and Natile does for speaking out which is supposed to be one of our most basic rights.

[bigwhtpony]

Big surprise there.....more left-wingers voting to stick a stick in Bush's eye. They could have put out an album of Jewish party songs on accordian and it would have won Grammy's.

Nothing new here.....more left-wing BS.

[news3497]

Yeah, koolcuebaby, and you still think Jane Fonda is a traitor. Get over it! The American people voted for a change in Iraq. Every foreign entity knows that we do not support the President. Our soil, their soil... what does it matter??

The Dixie Chicks are talented women and deserved these awards regardless of how you may feel about what they said and where they said it!

[ekucrew]

Good for the Dixie Chicks!

Toby Keith made HUGE bucks on two tours using Natalie Mannes comments as fodder, then was gutless in a 60 Minutes II interview....claiming he did not know how it all went so far so fast. Then he admitted he DID NOT support the invasion into Iraq at all, but only the invasion into Afghanistan but completely supported the troops! He claimed the mess with Mannes went too far...too bad he did not have that opinion while he was raking in the $$$$$.

CMT reruns this interview every so often, now with the Chicks' Grammy wins CMT will rerun the interview again.

[koolcuebaby]

I said it when it happened & I will say it again...regardless of what your political thoughts or beliefs, you don't disrespect America or its' President on foreign soil...which is exactly what she did...freedom of speech is great, when you use it in conjuction with common sense, WHICH Natalie did not...The COMEBACK KID?...ummmm I don't think so...I didn't see the CMA Awards loading her up with awards.....OF COURSE this is just MY OPINION....lol

[bluestardad]

This is a great big I told you so against the Bush Administration!

This is the contact address for your Senator! Send them a message of your opinion. All Class Two Senators are up for Reelection in 2008. firststatehttp://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[skyk-2009]

Yet AGAIN, as they have done so many times in our past, American Fascist have made a cult HERO out of someone who INSISTED on their rights. During the 50's it was the Attorney who told Joe McCarthy off, in the 60's it was those who stood up to the Religious Extremist and the Klan, in this decade it was the Dixie Chick. The point good people that the POWER of this nation comes from our desent PERIOD. When we as a nation can not show the world that we can walk the walk then we are no longer the becon of freedom. Lets all hope we can return to those times when we in fact did LEAD the Free Worlk and did not allow our citizens to be subjected to what this lady was... PERIOD!!

[acauble1]

-- The_mirror:

Natalie Maines was in her rights to criticize the President no matter where she was. AS AMERICANS, WE ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO CRITICIZE THE PRESIDENT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WE ARE!

So the fact that she was in a foreign country has nothing to do with anything. The statements she said back then were simply her opinion, and though shared by some in America, it was just her opinion.

Those who feel she is wrong for expressing her opinion, wherever she was at the time, should seriously review the history of the rise of the Nazis during the late 1930s in Germany. Perhaps, if you can comprehend the history of that time, you would realize how dangerous it is to supress the opinions of others simply because it goes against a particular politician you so desire.

[the_mirror]

Natalie Maines and the Dixie Chicks are performers and at their craft they do quite well, but statesman they are not, smarter they are not. Natalie could not even articulate a respectable reponse upon winning the awards, she quoted the "Simpsons" for goodness sakes. And you want to make her a Senator. America is a forgiving country - but that doesn't change the fact that she classlessly disrespected the President on foreign soil, and that's what got people ticked with her in the first place.

[mikekleber]

I was in complete agreement with Natalie Manes four years ago. Many people thought I was crazy to think Bush was starting a war that had been planned before 9/11 hit. All of those people now agree with me. The whole world now knows Bush is a liar and is an embarassment to our nation. It is going to take a long time for our country to be looked upon as a leader nation. Excellent job Natalie. I will always be a fan.