Charles is king of the Grammys

Ray Charles has swept the board at this year's Grammy Awards. The singer, who died last June aged 73, was honoured in eight of the top categories at the 47th annual US music ceremony last night.

He beat hotly-tipped contemporary acts including Kanye West, Alicia Keys and Green Day to take the most sought-after best album award for his posthumous duets LP, Genius Loves Company.

His song Here We Go Again, performed with Norah Jones, took record of the year and best pop vocal collaboration. Heaven Help Us with Gladys Knight picked up best gospel performance.

Jones said: "God bless Ray Charles. I'm glad he's getting recognised." The other awards were in technical categories - including best arrangement. During his lifetime Charles won seven Grammys, but never a best album award.

Actor Jamie Foxx - who is nominated for an Oscar for playing Charles in the hit movie Ray - dedicated Georgia on My Mind to the musical maestro which he sang with R & B star Alicia Keys.

Keys was also one of the event's biggest winners, taking four awards including, best R & B song for You Don't Know My Name and best R & B album for The Diary Of Alicia Keys. She shared the best R & B performance by a duo or group with Usher, for their collaboration My Boo.

Elsewhere, U2 led the charge for the Brits, taking three awards - best rock song, best shortform video and best rock performance for the single Vertigo.

Frontman Bono said he was "genuinely surprised" by the latter award. The band's guitarist, The Edge, dedicated his award to his young daughter, Sian, who is reportedly suffering from leukaemia.

There was controversy when clean-cut pop act Maroon5 scooped hot favourite, rap star Kanye West, to take the coveted best new artist award.

"He deserves it as much as we do,î Maroon5 singer Adam Levine confessed. West later won best rap album Grammy for The College Dropout and best rap song for Jesus Walks.

British nominees Franz Ferdinand, Elvis Costello and Joss Stone, however, missed out on accolades.

But, Stone, 17, was given a standing ovation for her performance of two songs in tribute to Janis Joplin.

Rod Stewart won the first Grammy of his career - best traditional pop album for Stardust: The Great American Songbook Vol. III.

Fellow Brit Annie Lennox was also honoured, after Into the West took best motion picture or TV song.