Women Big Winners Of American Music Awards

It was indeed the year of the woman at the 24th annual American Music Awards as Jewel, Toni Braxton, LeAnn Rimes, Alanis Morissette, Whitney Houston and Shania Twain took center-stage bows.

“It isn’t just the year of the woman,” twin trophy winner Braxton said of the tremendous run women have had in retail sales and awards. “It is the decade of the woman.”

However, not all women rocked at Monday night’s awards ceremony. Mariah Carey, whose five nominations were more than any other artist, repeated her Grammy misfortune last year by being shut out.

Garth Brooks, who made headlines last year by declining to accept the artist of the year award, gratefully took bows for favorite male country artist. Last year, he said other artists like Hootie & the Blowfish were more deserving.

Award winners were selected by a national sampling of about 20,000 listeners, who chose from nominees compiled by music industry publications.

Atlantic act Jewel, who until about a year ago was living out of her car in San Diego, beat out a tough field for best new rock artist, including No Doubt, who have the nation’s top album. In an emotional acceptance speech, Jewel said: “If it weren’t for you people buying my album, I’d still be stealing food.”

It was a also year of revivals and reunions with the likes of Motley Crue, the Bee Gees, New Edition (minus Bobby Brown, who missed a plane along with wife Whitney Houston), Little Richard, Lionel Richie and even a leather-clad Pat Boone on hand at the Shrine Auditorium.

Morissette (favorite pop-rock female artist and best pop-rock album for “Jagged Little Pill”) and Braxton (favorite female soul R&B artist and top soul-R&B album for “Secrets”) were the only double winners of the evening, which was marked by diversity.

Shania Twain, last year’s best new country artist, roped in another AMA for top country female act behind her 8 million-selling album, “The Woman in Me.” However, Twain passed along her top greenhorn crown to teen sensation LeAnn Rimes, whose album and single “Blue” saw nothing but green at record stores. Rimes, 14, took home the favorite new artist award after a very grown-up performance of “Unchained Melody.”

Elsewhere in country, Brooks & Dunn, who have shelves full of Grammys and other awards, garnered their first AMA. George Strait earned best album honors for “Blue Clear Sky.”

The show had a lot of sizzle with touches such as Pamela Anderson Lee introducing the Motley Crue reunion, which was broadcast in grainy black and white, perhaps a first for an awards show. The Bee Gees earned a standing ovation during their lifetime achievement bow, perhaps signaling their comeback paralleling the revival of disco.

The Smashing Pumpkins beat Bush and Stone Temple Pilots for fave alternative band, a good indicator of what might happen at the Grammys on Feb. 26, though the band lost to Metallica in the favorite heavy metal/hard rock category.

In the soul/R&B fields, Keith Sweat was top male, New Edition won best band, duo or group, and D’Angelo snagged best new artist. The late Tupac Shakur won the best rap artist prize.

Winners at the 24th Annual American Music Awards:

Pop-Rock

Male Artist: Eric Clapton

Female Artist: Alanis Morissette

Band, Duo or Group: Hootie & The Blowfish

Album: “Jagged Little Pill,” Alanis Morissette

New Artist: Jewel

Soul-Rhythm & Blues

Male Artist: Keith Sweat

Female Artist: Toni Braxton

Band, Duo or Group: New Edition

Album: “Secrets,” Toni Braxton

New Artist: D’Angelo

Country

Male Artist: Garth Brooks

Female Artist: Shania Twain

Band, Duo or Group: Brooks & Dunn

Album: “Blue Clear Sky,” George Strait

New Artist: Leann Rimes

Heavy Metal-Hard Rock

Artist: Metallica

Rap-Hip Hop

Artist: Tupac

Alternative Music

Artist: Smashing Pumpkins

Favorite Soundtrack

“Waiting to Exhale”

Adult Contemporary

Artist: Whitney Houston