Adele wows Grammys audience
February 13, 2012
British soul singer Adele received a standing ovation from the Grammys audience late on Sunday, as well as a string of awards.
US rock act the Foo Fighters were among the other the big winners in a ceremony tinged with sadness.
The event began with a prayer for pop superstar Whitney Houston, who died on Saturday. "Although she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed by her musical spirit," said host LL Cool J, who opened the awards with a prayer for "a woman who we loved."
Organizers then showed a video of Houston performing her power ballad "I Will Always Love You" at a previous Grammy awards.
In the awards, Adele won six Grammys, including best song and best record for "Rolling in the Deep," while the Foo Fighters picked up five awards.
Expression of gratitude
Adele, whose album "21" was also best album, appeared on stage and thanked doctors for helping her recover from surgery on her vocal cords, before winning her standing ovation with a first live performance in months.
The Foo Fighters won four Grammys in rock music categories, with a fifth for the best long-form music video with their hit "Walk."
Other winners included Lady Antebellum, who won best country album, Taylor Swift, who received two awards for her song Mean, and Kanye West for best rap album.
Houston's death at the age of 48 dominated conversation at the Staples Centre, the venue being attended by stars including Rihanna and Paul McCartney. Houston died on the eve of the awards at her hotel in Beverley Hills, where she was preparing to attend a pre-Grammy party.
A further poignant moment came as Mitch and Janis Winehouse, parents of late singer Amy Winehouse, accepted an award for her performance in Body and Soul with Tony Bennett.
rc/ng (AFP, dpa, Reuters)