Beyoncé (featuring drummer Kim Thompson and percussionist Marcie Chapa in her live band) and Taylor Swift (recruiting session veterans such as drummer Nick Buda and percussionist Eric Darken) were the toast of the music world last Sunday, after taking home the 52nd annual Grammy Award s\' biggest prizes.
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Beyoncé sets record R&B songstress Beyoncé was the Los Angeles event\'s biggest winner.
She claimed a female record of six out of the ten honours she was nominated for. These included Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance awards for Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).
Taylor Swift scoops four awards Taylor Swift took home her first four Grammys, including the coveted Album of the Year award for \'Fearless\'. She is the youngest artist to win the top prize at the age of 20.
Tripple winners Kings Of Leon, featuring Nathan Followill on drums, earned prizes for Record of the Year, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.
The Black Eyed Peas and Jay-Z were also triple winners at the Grammys, as was the San Francisco Symphony, thanks to its \'Mahler: Symphony No. 8; Adagio From Symphony No. 10\' album.
Live performances The event\'s winners were overshadowed by a clutch of terrific performances from acts like Green Day, P!nk, Dave Matthews Band, Beyoncé and the Black Eyed Peas. Elton John and Lady Gaga collaborated to open the show and there were further match-ups for Jamie Foxx, T-Pain and Slash, Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli, Eminem, Drake and Lil Wayne and Taylor Swift and Fleetwood Mac star Stevie Nicks.
Tribute to Michael Jackson But the event\'s highlight was a star-studded tribute to Michael Jackson; Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Smokey Robinson and Carrie Underwood teamed up to perform the King of Pop\'s Earth Song.
The stunning collaboration was accompanied by a 3-D version of the Earth Song video Jackson planned to use as a backdrop during his This Is It concerts last summer (2009). Stars like Beyoncé, Rihanna and Will.i.am were among the audience members who donned special 3-D glasses to fully appreciate the spectacular musical moment.
They ended the song with their backs to the crowd, staring at images of Jackson, which were flashed onto the big screen behind them, as the audience rose to its feet to applaud the performance, which presenter Lionel Richie called \"unbelievable\".
Following the show stopper, Jackson\'s children Prince and Paris took the stage to honour their father, a recipient of one of the night\'s Lifetime Achievement Awards.
The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards posted the highest ratings for Music\'s Biggest Night since 2004 with an average audience of 25.8 million viewers.