Vince Gill, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Krauss/Plant, The Eagles win country Grammys

Gill won best country album for "These Days," his four-CD set of differnt genres of music. Ringo Starr handed the Grammy to Gill, causing him to say jokingly, "I just got an award given me by a Beatle. Have you had that happen yet, Kanye?"

Gill termed the recording an "amazing project for me. It took a year out of my life." He also said the effort "proved to me that music is the real place where democracy lives. Every note is equal and blessed."

Gill also was nominated for album of the year in a category featuring The Foo Fighters and Amy Winehouse, but lost to jazz man Herbie Hancock's "River: The Joni Letters" in a big surprise.

Underwood took best female country vocal performance for "Before He Cheats." She won over Alison Krauss for "Simple Love," Miranda Lambert for "Famous in a Small Town," LeAnn Rimes for "Nothin' Better to Do" and Trisha Yearwood for "Heaven, Heartache And The Power Of Love."

"Before He Charts" won best country song for writers Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins. The song was picked over "Give It Away" by Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon & Jamey Johnson (George Strait performer); "I Need You" by Tony Lane and David Lee (McGraw and Faith Hill); "If You're Reading This" by Tim McGraw, Brad Warren and Brett Warren (McGraw) and "Long Trip Alone" by Brett Beavers, Steve Bogard and Dierks Bentley (Bentley).

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss took best pop collaboration with vocals for "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)," besting among others Beyonce and Shakira for "Beautiful Liar."

Urban's "Stupid Boy" was best male country vocal performance. Urban took it over Dierks Bentley for "Long Trip Alone," Alan Jackson for "A Woman's Love," McGraw for "If You're Reading This" and Strait for "Give It Away."

The Eagles won best country performance by a duo or group with vocals for "How Long." Other nominated were Brooks & Dun for "Proud of the House We Built," Emerson Drive for "Moments," Montgomery Gentry for "Lucky Man" and The Time Jumpers for "Sweet Memories."

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals was awarded to Willie Nelson and Ray Price for "Lost Highway" a song from "Last of the Breed." Nelson and Price won over Steve Earle and Allison Moorer for "Days Aren't Long Enough," Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson for "Because of You," McGraw and Hill for "I Need You," and Brad Paisley and Underwood for "Oh Love."

Paisley won the best country instrumental performance for "Throttleneck" from "5th Gear." Others nominated were Russ Barenberg for "Little Monk," The Greencards for "Mucky the Duck," Andy Statman for "Rawhide!" and The Time Jumpers for "Fidoodlin'."

Jim Lauderdale's "The Bluegrass Diaries" was named best bluegrass album over Cherryholmes' "Cherryholmes II Black and White," J.D. Crowe & The New South's "Lefty's Old Guitar," Seldom Scene's "Scenechronized" and Tony Trischka's "Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular."

Ricky Skaggs & The Whites took best southern, country or bluegrass gospel album for "Salt of the Earth." Billy Joe Shaver's "Everybody's Brother," Kenny and Amanda Smith's "Tell Someone" and a various artist CD "I'll Fly Away: Country Hymns & Songs Of Faith" were also nominated.

Levon Helm won best traditional folk album for "Dirt Farmer" over David Bromberg's "Try Me One More Time," Peter Case's "Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John," Cathy Fink's "Banjo Talkin'" and Charlie Louvin's self-titled disc.

Earle won best contemporary folk/Americana album for "Washington Square Serenade." Other nominated were Mary Chapin Carpenter for "The Calling," Ry Cooder for "My Name is Buddy," Patty Griffin for "Children Running Through" and Tom Waits for "Orphans."

The best short form music video went to "God's Gonna Cut You Down" with Johnny Cash; Tony Kaye, video director; Rachel Curl, video producer.

The awards were handed out prior to the televised show.

Amy Winehouse won best new artist over Taylor Swift among others. Winehouse won best song for "Rehab." Underwood was nominated in the category for "Before He Cheats," which she performed near the beginning of the show.

Bruce Springsteen won best rock solo performance with vocals for "Radio Nowhere." Lucinda Williams was nominated in the category for "Come On." She also lost to Springsteen for best rock song with "Radio Nowhere" once again winning over "Come On."

The Foo Fighters won best rock album for "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace." John Fogerty's "Revival" was also nominated.