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Amy gets six Grammy nominations

Amy Winehouse is nominated for six Grammy awards for her single Rehab and her universally-acclaimed album Back To Black

British singing sensation Amy Winehouse's personal life may be in turmoil but her career shows no sign of slowing up after she was nominated for six Grammy awards.

The jazz star's nominations are only outnumbered by hip hop star Kanye West, who received a record eight for the 50th annual US awards recognising the cream of the music industry.

Amy's nods include a place in the top categories of best new artist, best record, and song of the year for her massive hit single Rehab and the album Back to Black.

They are the cherry on the cake of what has been a fantastic year professionally for the 24-year-old, but come amid considerable uncertainty about her wellbeing.

Her bizarre behaviour has been a concern to fans for some time but her husband's recent arrest and the couple's enforced separation appears to have pushed her to a new low.

Winehouse ended up cancelling her UK tour after several shambolic performances, citing husband Blake Fielder-Civil - who is being held in custody - as the reason she could not go on.

She has since struck up a friendship with ex-drug addict Pete Doherty and has been seen in floods of tears after visiting Blake in jail.

He was arrested after allegedly trying to bribe a pub barman he is accused of attacking and is in Pentonville Prison on remand.

Winehouse is the only performer represented in the album, record, song and best new artist categories at the Grammys.

Amy thanks fans after Grammy nod

Amy Winehouse has apparently thanked her long suffering fans after receiving six prestigious Grammy nominations including Album of The Year for her record Back to Black.

"Thank you for all your kind letters and emails, I am grateful for all your support," she told Usmagazine.com.

The 24-year-old added: "I'm honored to have my music recognized with these nominations - this is a true validation from people I respect and admire."

But the star may find it tricky to perform at next year's February ceremony - the Grammy's 50th - after she was forced to cancel a US visit last month because of visa issues, reports Reuters.

However, the Grammy organisers may help Amy gain entry to the US.

"I'd hate to see technicalities prevent creativity from happening on the stage." said Neil Portnow, president of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.

Meanwhile fellow Brit Corinne Bailey Rae said she was "excited" about her nomination for Best Song.

She said: "I'm really excited and pleased that Like A Star has been nominated. I was not expecting a nomination this year as it's the second year running for me, which is amazing! I'm already looking forward to getting my frock on for the big night."

The latest nominations are a "big deal" said the bands singer/guitarist Dave Grohl, who already has five Grammys. "If you get jaded and unexcited about actually getting to do any of this kind of thing, then we have a problem."

Nominees for 50th Grammy awards

The race for 2007's best musician is under way, as the 50th Grammy nominations were made in an early morning ceremony in Los Angeles.

Here's a rundown of the top categories.

:: Record Of The Year

Irreplaceable - Beyonce

The Pretender - Foo Fighters

Umbrella - Rihanna featuring Jay-Z

What Goes Around... Comes Around - Justin Timberlake

Rehab - Amy Winehouse

:: Album Of The Year

Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace - Foo Fighters

These Days - Vince Gill

Rivers - The Joni Letters - Herbie Hancock

Graduation - Kanye West

Back To Black - Amy Winehouse

:: Song Of The Year

Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood

Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's

Like A Star - Corinne Bailey Rae

Rehab - Amy Winehouse

Umbrella - Rihanna featuring Jay-Z

:: Best New Artist

Feist

Ledisi

Paramore

Taylor Swift

Amy Winehouse

:: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

Candyman - Christina Aguilera

1234 - Feist

Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie

Say It Right - Nelly Furtado

Rehab - Amy Winehouse

:: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

Everything - Michael Bublé

Belief - John Mayer

Dance Tonight - Paul McCartney

Amazing - Seal

What Goes Around... Comes Around - Justin Timberlake

:: Best Pop Vocal Album

Lost Highway - Bon Jovi

The Reminder - Feist

It Won't Be Soon Before Long - Maroon 5

Memory Almost Full - Paul McCartney

Back To Black - Amy Winehouse

:: Best Dance Recording

Do It Again - The Chemical Brothers

D.A.N.C.E. - Justice

Love Today - Mika

Don't Stop The Music - Rihanna

LoveStoned/I Think She Knows - Justin Timberlake

:: Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

(You Want To) Make A Memory - Bon Jovi

Home - Daughtry

Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5

Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's

Window In The Skies - U2

:: Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals

Steppin' Out - Tony Bennett & Christina Aguilera

Beautiful Liar - Beyoncé & Shakira

Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani & Akon

Give It To Me - Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake

The Grammys at 50

In the world of music, accolades don't come bigger than a Grammy Award. And 2008 is a big year for the Recording Academy as it celebrates 50 years of honouring music stars.

As the countdown to the 50th Grammys begins, with Kanye West and Amy Winehouse leading the nominations for the February 10 bash, we look back at five decades of glamour and music.

:: Early days

The inaugral Annual Grammy Awards took place in 1957, and bizarrely has Hollywood's Walk Of Fame to thank for the idea.

Five Los Angeles record executives were asked to suggest performers who deserved a star on Hollywood Boulevard's now iconic pavement.

After that meeting, the music moguls decided to create an association to reward creativity in the music industry.

More meetings ensued to bash out the bones of what would become the Recording Academy and in those early days, commentators were said to be surprised that music rivals would work so closely for a common goal.

To celebrate its anniversary, the Recording Academy's 18-month-long festivities have included a new museum launch and a Grammy fashion line.

:: Big winners

From Johnny Cash to the Beatles and Rod Stewart to U2 - every notable act worth their salt has won a Grammy or two.

If you're Michael Jackson you take home eight of the golden gramophones in one go - as the king of pop did in 1984, including Album Of The Year for Thriller. His record was matched by Carlos Santana in 2000.

But the big daddy of the Grammys is Mr Stevie Wonder, who has a total of 22 - matched only by U2.

The girls have held their own, with four divas scooping five awards at a go - Lauryn Hill in 1999, Alicia Keys in 2002, Norah Jones in 2003, and Beyonce in 2004 for her solo debut album Dangerously in Love.

Mariah Carey ended her 16-year Grammy drought last year by bagging three awards for comeback album The Emancipation of Mimi.

:: Top performers

Besides rewarding the best acts of the year, the Grammy Awards always provides an excuse for some well-hyped performances and unusual collaborations.

This year The Police reunited for a very special live performance, while 2006 saw Madonna team up with cartoon band Gorillaz, U2 with Mary J. Blige, Kanye West and Jamie Foxx and a Linkin Park with Jay-Z and Sir Paul McCartney. Mad.

Back in 2005, Melissa Etheridge returned after beating cancer to join Joss Stone in a salute to Janis Joplin, while Best New Artist winner Maroon 5 joined Franz Ferdinand, Gwen Stefani with Eve and Black Eyed Peas to kick off the show with a classic Grammy mash-up.

And pop legend Prince celebrated the 20th anniversary of his album Purple Rain in 2004 with an unforgettable duet with Beyonce.

:: Grammy gossip

Despite months of careful organisation, the night itself doesn't always run according to plan...

The 40th Annual Grammy Awards in 1998 will be remembered for two words - Soy Bomb - which were daubed on a stage crasher's chest as he jigged next to a surprised Bob Dylan.

And Aretha Franklin stepped in for Luciano Pavarotti, literally hours before the show, to sing Nessun Dorma.

Janet Jackson was banned from the Grammy Awards in 2004 when an unfortunate 'wardrobe malfunction' revealed her right breast during her infamous Super Bowl performance with Justin Timberlake.

In 2003 Sheryl Crow claimed she was asked not to mention the war by Grammy organisers. But the feisty singer silently defied them by wearing a guitar strap that said "no war" for her performance with Kid Rock.

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