Los Angeles ? Ray Charles, whose legacy erased boundaries between genres and generations, received a fitting musical eulogy Sunday night as his final album “Genius Loves Company” won a leading eight Grammys.

Charles’ album of duets, recorded in the final months of his life, was the clear sentimental favorite. It won album of the year and best pop album; the song “Here We Go Again,” with Norah Jones, won record of the year and best pop collaboration with vocals.

“I’m going to cry, actually,” Jones said as she accepted the trophy for record of the year. “I think it just shows how wonderful music can be.”

Other winners included Alicia Keys and Usher, each nominated for eight Grammys. Keys won four while Usher had three. They shared one award, for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals for their chart-topping duet, “My Boo.”

U2 won three awards, including best rock performance by a duo or group. Green Day, the most nominated rock act with six for their politically charged punk opera “American Idiot,” won best rock album.

Keys had a chance to win more than any other woman in one evening. In 2002 Keys won five Grammys for her debut album, “Songs in A Minor,” becoming only the second woman to win that many in one night. (Lauryn Hill won five in 1999; Jones matched Hill and Keys’ feat in 2003.)

John Mayer was one of the artists who prevented a record night by Keys, as his tribute “Daughters” won song of the year.

The most nominated artist of the year was perhaps the most multifaceted — Kanye West, the songwriter-producer who made his rap debut in 2004 with the cutting-edge CD “The College Dropout.” He was nominated for 10 Grammys, including album of the year, but only took home three, including best rap album and best rap song for “Jesus Walks.”

He was upset in the best new artist category, losing to Maroon 5 in a race that also included country singer Gretchen Wilson, Los Lonely Boys and soul siren Joss Stone.

Maroon 5’s Adam Levine seemed almost apologetic after winning.

Some expected West to have a meltdown like at the American Music Awards, where he complained bitterly backstage after losing the same award to Wilson. But on Sunday night he went on to deliver an eye-popping performance of “Jesus Walks” and an emotional acceptance speech for best rap album.

Steve Earle’s left-leaning “The Revolution Starts … Now” won for contemporary folk album. And Rod Stewart — who had complained in recent years about never winning a Grammy — won for traditional pop vocal album for his standards recording “Stardust … The Great American Songbook Vol. III.”

Brian Wilson, who released his album “Smile” after a more than three-decade wait, won best rock instrumental performance for “Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow.” He had never been honored before, even as leader of The Beach Boys.

The oft-maligned Britney Spears also won her first Grammy — best dance recording for “Toxic.”

Spears wasn’t present, but another newlywed was on hand: Jennifer Lopez performed a duet in Spanish with new hubby Marc Anthony, their first public performance together.

Perhaps the evening’s most exhilarating performance was from Melissa Etheridge. The rocker, who is battling breast cancer, took to the stage for a Janis Joplin tribute with a shaved head

All the winners

Complete list of winners at Sunday’s 47th Annual Grammy Awards:

Album of the Year: “Genius Loves Company,” Ray Charles and various artists.

Record of the Year: “Here We Go Again,” Ray Charles and Norah Jones.

Song of the Year: “Daughters,” John Mayer.

Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: “Vertigo,” U2.

Country Album: “Van Lear Rose,” Loretta Lynn.

Rap Album: “The College Dropout,” Kanye West.

R&B Album: “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” Alicia Keys.

New Artist: Maroon 5.

Rock Album: “American Idiot,” Green Day.

Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal: “Heaven,” Los Lonely Boys.

Male R&B Vocal Performance: “Call My Name,” Prince.

Engineered Album, Classical: “Higdon: City Scape; Concerto for Orchestra,” Jack Renner, engineer (Robert Spano).

Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost.

Classical Album: “Adams: On the Transmigration of Souls,” Lorin Maazel, conductor; John Adams and Lawrence Rock, producers.

Orchestral Performance: “Adams: On the Transmigration of Souls,” Lorin Maazel, conductor; John Adams and Lawrence Rock, producers.

Opera Recording: “Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro,” Rene Jacobs, conductor; Patrizia Ciofi, Veronique Gens, Simon Keenlyside, Angelika Kirchschlager and Lorenzo Regazzo; Martin Sauer, producer (Various Artists; Concerto Koln).

Choral Performance: “Berlioz: Requiem,” Robert Spano, conductor; Norman Mackenzie, choir director (Frank Lopardo, tenor; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra).

Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra): “Previn: Violin Concerto ‘Anne-Sophie’/Bernstein: Serenade,” Andre Previn, conductor; Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin (Boston Symphony Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra).

Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra): “Aire Latino (Morel, Villa-Lobos, Ponce, etc.),” David Russell, guitar.

Chamber Music Performance: “Prokofiev (Arr. Pletnev): Cinderella — Suite for Two Pianos/Ravel: Ma Mere L’Oye,” Martha Argerich, piano and Mikhail Pletnev, piano.

Small Ensemble Performance (with or without conductor): “Carlos Chavez — Complete Chamber Music, Vol. 2,” Jeff von der Schmidt, conductor; Southwest Chamber Music.

Classical Vocal Performance: “Ives: Songs (The Things Our Fathers Loved; the Housatonic at Stockbridge, etc.),” Susan Graham, mezzo soprano.

Classical Contemporary Composition: “Adams: On the Transmigration of Souls,” John Adams (Lorin Maazel; Brooklyn Youth Chorus and New York Choral Artists; New York Philharmonic).

Classical Crossover Album: “LAGQ’s Guitar Heroes,” Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.

Traditional Folk Album: “Beautiful Dreamer — The Songs of Stephen Foster,” Various Artists.

Contemporary Folk Album: “The Revolution Starts … Now,” Steve Earle.

Native American Music Album: “Cedar Dream Songs,” Bill Miller.

Hawaiian Music Album: “Slack Key Guitar Volume 2,” Various Artists.

Reggae Album: “True Love,” Toots and The Maytals.

Traditional World Music Album: “Raise Your Spirit Higher,” Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Contemporary World Music Album: “Egypt,” Youssou N’Dour.

Polka Album: “Let’s Kiss: 25th Anniversary Album,” Brave Combo.

Musical Album for Children: “cELLAbration! A Tribute to Ella Jenkins,” Various Artists.

Spoken Word Album for Children: “The Train They Call The City of New Orleans,” Tom Chapin.

Spoken Word Album: “My Life,” Bill Clinton.

Comedy Album: “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Presents … America: A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction,” Jon Stewart and the Cast of “The Daily Show.”

Musical Show Album: “Wicked.”

Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “Garden State,” Various Artists.

Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” Howard Shore, composer.

Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “Into the West,” Annie Lennox, Howard Shore and Fran Walsh, songwriters, track from “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

Instrumental Composition: “Merengue,” Paquito D’Rivera, composer (Yo-Yo Ma), from “Obrigado Brazil — Live in Concert.”

Instrumental Arrangement: “Past Present and Future,” Slide Hampton, arranger (The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra), from “The Way — Music of Slide Hampton.”

Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): “Over the Rainbow,” Victor Vanacore, arranger (Ray Charles & Johnny Mathis), from “Genius Loves Company.”

Recording Package: “A Ghost Is Born,” Peter Buchanan-Smith and Dan Nadel, art directors (Wilco).

Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: “Once in a Lifetime,” Stefan Sagmeister, art director (Talking Heads).

Album Notes: “The Complete Columbia Recordings of Woody Herman and His Orchestra and Woodchoppers (1945-1947),” Loren Schoenberg, album notes writer (Woody Herman and His Orchestra).

Historical Album: “Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm and Blues, 1945-1970,” Daniel Cooper and Michael Gray, compilation producers.

Best Engineered Album, non-classical: “Genius Loves Company.”

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: John Shanks.

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: Jacques Lu Cont, “It’s My Life (Jacques Lu Cont’s Thin White Duke Mix).”

Best Surround Sound Album: “Genius Loves Company.”

Latin Pop Album: “Amar Sin Mentiras,” Marc Anthony.

Latin Rock/Alternative Album: Ozomatli.

Traditional Tropical Latin Album: “Ahora Si!” Israel Lopez “Cachao.”

Salsa/Merengue Album: “Across 110th Street,” Spanish Harlem Orchestra featuring Ruben Blades.

Mexican/Mexican-American Album: “Intimamente,” Intocable.

Tejano Album: “Polkas, Gritos y Acordeones,” David Lee Garza, Joel Guzman and Sunny Sauceda.

Short Form Music Video: “Vertigo,” U2.

Long Form Music Video: “Concert for George,” Various Artists.

Gospel Performance: “Heaven Help Us All,” Ray Charles and Gladys Knight.

Rock Gospel Album: “Wire,” Third Day.

Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: “All Things New,” Steven Curtis Chapman.

Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album: “Worship and Faith,” Randy Travis.

Traditional Soul Gospel Album: “There Will Be a Light,” Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama.

Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: “Nothing Without You,” Smokie Norful.

Gospel Choir or Chorus Album: “Live … This is Your House,” The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

Traditional Blues Album: “Blues to the Bone,” Etta James.

Contemporary Blues Album: “Keep It Simple,” Keb’ Mo’.

New Age Album: “Returning,” Will Ackerman.

Contemporary Jazz Album: “Unspeakable,” Bill Frisell.

Jazz Vocal Album: “R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal),” Nancy Wilson.

Jazz Instrumental Solo: “Speak Like a Child,” Herbie Hancock.

Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: “Illuminations,” McCoy Tyner with Gary Bartz, Terence Blanchard, Christian McBride and Lewis Nash.

Large Jazz Ensemble Album: “Concert in the Garden,” Maria Schneider Orchestra.

Latin Jazz Album: “Land of the Sun,” Charlie Haden.

Female Country Vocal Performance: “Redneck Woman,” Gretchen Wilson.

Male Country Vocal Performance: “Live Like You Were Dying,” Tim McGraw.

Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal: “Top of the World,” Dixie Chicks.

Country Collaboration With Vocals: “Portland Oregon,” Loretta Lynn and Jack White.

Country Instrumental Performance: “Earl’s Breakdown,” Nitty Gritty Dirt Band featuring Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Vassar Clements and Jerry Douglas.

Country Song: “Live Like You Were Dying,” Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman (Tim McGraw).

Bluegrass Album: “Brand New Strings,” Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder.

Female R&B Vocal Performance: “If I Ain’t Got You,” Alicia Keys.

R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: “My Boo,” Usher and Alicia Keys.

Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “Musicology,” Prince.

Urban/Alternative Performance: “Cross My Mind,” Jill Scott.

R&B Song: “You Don’t Know My Name,” Alicia Keys, Harold Lilly and Kanye West (Alicia Keys).

Contemporary R&B Album: “Confessions,” Usher.

Rap Solo Performance: “99 Problems,” Jay-Z.

Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: “Let’s Get It Started,” The Black Eyed Peas.

Rap/Sung Collaboration: “Yeah!” Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris.

Rap Song: “Jesus Walks,” Miri Ben Ari, C. Smith and Kanye West (Kanye West).

Female Pop Vocal Performance: “Sunrise,” Norah Jones.

Male Pop Vocal Performance: “Daughters,” John Mayer.

Pop Collaboration With Vocals: “Here We Go Again,” Ray Charles and Norah Jones.

Pop Instrumental Performance: “11th Commandment,” Ben Harper.

Pop Instrumental Album: “Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar,” Various Artists.

Pop Vocal Album: “Genius Loves Company,” Ray Charles and Various Artists.

Traditional Pop Vocal Album: “Stardust … The Great American Songbook Volume III,” Rod Stewart.

Dance Recording: “Toxic,” Britney Spears.

Electronic/Dance Album: “Kish Kash,” Basement Jaxx.

Alternative Music Album: “A Ghost Is Born,” Wilco.

Solo Rock Vocal Performance: “Code of Silence,” Bruce Springsteen.

Hard Rock Performance: “Slither,” Velvet Revolver.

Metal Performance: “Whiplash,” Motorhead.

Rock Instrumental Performance: “Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow,” Brian Wilson.

Rock Song: “Vertigo,” Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge and Larry Mullen (U2).