Springsteen, Bennett Win Top Honors Sheryl Crow Also Has Some Fun At Grammys
Bruce Springsteen won song of the year and three other honors for his brooding, Academy Award-winning “Streets of Philadelphia” while newcomer Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do” won record of the year at Wednesday night’s 37th annual Grammys.
Tony Bennett, a sentimental victor in the pop performance categories at the last two Grammy shows with “Steppin’ Out” and “Perfectly Frank,” won album of the year for “MTV Unplugged.”
The top three awards cut across generations and musical styles with a rare victory for a debut effort in the record of the year category, and accolades for Springsteen, who previously had received just two Grammys.
“It’s such a victorious feeling to sing good American music and have this happen,” said Bennett, who also won for best traditional pop vocal performance.
“Streets of Philadelphia,” from the 1993 movie “Philadelphia” about a lawyer with AIDS, also won for best rock song, best song written specifically for a movie or television and best male rock vocal performance.
“I’m not sure this is a rock vocal. You stick around long enough and they give these things to ya,” he said, drawing laughs.
Springsteen, who earned an Oscar last year for the song, expressed his appreciation to “the folks who have come up to me in restaurants or on the street who’ve lost their sons or their lovers or their friends to AIDS and said this song meant something to them.”
Besides record of the year, Crow also won Grammys for best new artist and female pop vocal performance.
She sang shortly before winning the second award, and joked during her acceptance speech: “I want to thank my family for doing the wave during my performance. Kinda took the pressure off me of having to perform in front of Bonnie Raitt … and all these (famous) people here in the front row.”
Backstage, Crow said she relied on poet Wyn Cooper’s work to complete the song. “I wrote five different sets of lyrics for that song and … I called Wyn and said, ‘Can I use your poem?’ and he said, ‘Great.”’
“Stones in the Road” by Mary Chapin Carpenter won the country album honor.
“I’m happy to be a musician,” the emotional winner said, “especially in this time when the arts are being attacked in so many ways.”
Carpenter also received a Grammy for best country female vocal performance for her hit “Shut Up and Kiss Me.” The best male vocal performance went to Vince Gill for “When Love Finds You.”
Salt-N-Pepa were awarded the Grammy for best rap performance by a duo or group for the trio’s song “None of Your Business.”
Transcending categories, the song “I Swear” brought All-4-One the Grammy for best pop vocal performance by a group of duo and was named best country song for the version recorded by John Michael Montgomery.
In rhythm and blues, jack-of-alltrades Babyface won Grammys for best male vocal performance for “When Can I See You?” and for writing “I’ll Make Love to You,” the popular hit by Boyz II Men.
Boyz II Men claimed the R&B album trophy for “II” and received the award for best R&B duo or group vocal performance for “I’ll Make Love to You.”
xxxx The winners Best record: Sheryl Crow, “All I Wanna Do” Best Album: Tony Bennett, “MTV Unplugged” Best song: Bruce Springsteen, “Streets of Philadelphia” Best new artist: Sheryl Crow Best rock album:Rolling Stones, “Voodoo Lounge.”