Lil Wayne, Plant & Krauss win early Grammys

Carrie Underwood (R) performs at the 51st annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, February 8, 2009. [Agencies]

LOS ANGELES- Rapper Lil Wayne took an early lead at the Grammy Awards, the music industry's highest honors, winning three prizes on Sunday, including best rap song for the hit tune "Lollipop."

The 26-year-old hip-hop star, who heads the field with eight nominations, also won for rap solo performance ("A Milli"). Additionally, he and Kanye West were honored as featured artists on Jay-Z and T.I.'s "Swagga Like Us," winner of the rap performance by a duo or group category.

He lost in the rap/sung collaboration category to Estelle's "American Boy," also featuring West.

Lil Wayne competed against himself in two races, and is still a contender for two categories that will be announced during the main ceremony, which kicks off at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST) -- album of the year and rap album.

Former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant and bluegrass queen Alison Krauss are favorites to win album of the year for their acclaimed collaboration, "Raising Sand."

They won a pair during the early ceremony: contemporary folk/Americana album, and country collaboration with vocals ("Killing the Blues"). They also remain contenders for record of the year and pop collaboration with vocals.

"Raising Sand," on which the odd couple reworked old folk ballads and R&B chestnuts, was an instant critical and commercial hit. Plant scuttled a much-rumored Led Zeppelin reunion by opting to tour Europe and America with Krauss instead.

GRAMMY'S DARLING

Krauss is already the Grammys' darling. At just 37, she has won 21 Grammys, ranking at No. 7 on the list of all-time winners. If she and Plant sweep their categories, she would tie at No. 3 with French conductor Pierre Boulez. The only people with more are the late classical conductor Sir Georg Solti with 31 Grammys and prolific producer/composer Quincy Jones with 27.

British rock band Coldplay, which trailed Lil Wayne with seven nominations, received one statuette, but lost two categories. Their single "Viva La Vida" won pop performance by a duo or group with vocals category, but it lost the corresponding rock category to Kings of Leon's "Sex on Fire." Their tune "Violet Hill" lost the rock song race to Bruce Springsteen's "Girls In Their Summer Clothes."

In addition to West, other two-time winners included R&B icon Al Green, gospel star Kirk Franklin, French electronic-music duo Daft Punk, country singer Brad Paisley, and R&B singer/songwriter Ne-Yo.

British rocker Peter Gabriel also won a pair, for his work on the hit Pixar cartoon "WALL-E." He and film composer Thomas Newman were honored in the best song for movie or TV category for "Down to Earth." They also won the instrumental arrangement race with "Define Dancing." The versatile musician had four previous wins, in the video and new age categories.

The Blind Boys of Alabama, whose origins date back to 1939, were popular winners taking home their fifth award, this time in the traditional gospel album category for "Down in New Orleans." Dressed in matching white suits they walked to the stage in a line with their hands on the shoulder of the man in front.

"We might have lost our sight, but we didn't lose our direction," drummer Eric McKinnie said.

Country veteran George Strait won the first Grammy of his career, in the best country album category for "Troubadour."

Dweezil Zappa, elder son of the late musician Frank Zappa, tearfully accepted his Grammy in the rock instrumental performance category for "Peaches En Regalia," a tune credited to his project Zappa Plays Zappa.