Grammys: Genius gets his due

‘‘I’m going to cry, actually,’’ singer Norah Jones said as she accepted Charles’ trophy for record of the year. ‘‘I think it just shows how wonderful music can be. It’s at a hundred per cent with Ray Charles.’’

The Charles coronation at Staples Center reflected the Recording Academy’s sentimental side with two separate musical tributes devoted to the singer during the 3-hour telecast.

In one, actor Jamie Foxx, Oscar-nominated for the Charles biopic Ray, introduced Georgia on My Mind, a duet with Keys, by dedicating the song ‘‘to an old friend.’’ A second Charles tribute featuring Bonnie Raitt and Billy Preston closed the show.

Charles, who died last June at the age of 73, had previously won 12 Grammys plus a lifetime achievement award in 1987. His album of the year win was the first posthumous award in that category since John Lennon won in 1982.

In a year when rap/hip-hop acts were expected to dominate the big four categories — album, record and song of the year, and best new artist — Grammy looked elsewhere. Charles grabbed the first two, while two pop acts took the latter two. John Mayer’s Daughters won song of the year, and Maroon 5 was an upset winner over country singer Gretchen Wilson, British soul chanteuse Joss Stone and rockers Los Lonely Boys as the best new artist. Keys’ four wins included a trophy for her record of the year duet with Charles on a remake of his 1967 hit Here We Go Again.

Musical interludes feted late rocker Janis Joplin, and the Gospel and Southern rock genres. In a rousing performance of Joplin’s signature Cry Baby, a bald-headed Melissa Etheridge, who is suffering from cancer, and Stone drew a standing ovation from the glittery crowd.

Later, a tsunami-relief segment brought together a front line of Bono, Stevie Wonder, Norah Jones, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Keys and others performing the Beatles’ Across the Universe. And in another selling point, newlyweds J.Lo and Marc Anthony cooed together on camera for the first time. Other highlights included profanity from Green Day, a stirring Kayne West speech, a showstopping James Brown-Usher pairing and U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr.’s apology to fans who went through contortions to buy tickets for the quartet’s tour. NYT