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Lady Antebellum also wins big at music awards gala.
Lady Gaga arrives at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, in Los Angeles.
The country pop group Lady Antebellum took top honors at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles Sunday, earning five of the music industry’s leading awards.
Lady Antebellum, a group that has found appeal among both country and pop fans, earned awards that included Record of the Year for their hit recording Need You Now”
The title tune also earned its writers the Grammy for Song of the Year.
Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott says the trio’s career has taken off in the past year, and band-mate Charles Kelley said that Sunday at the Grammys was an emotional time. "We had the opportunity to perform that song at the Grammys on this stage last year, and what a year holds. We are so thankful for this. We can‘t believe it," Scott said.
AP
Lady Antebellum, from left, Charles Kelley, Hilary Scott, and Dave Haywood accept the award for best country album at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards, February 13, 2011
"We just cried our eyes out backstage and I can’t believe we’re sitting up here once again," Kelley added.
The Canadian rock group Arcade Fire won the biggest Grammy of the evening, Album of the Year, for its alternative rock recording The Suburbs”
Arcade Fire beat out Lady Antebellum, rapper Eminem, pop diva Lady Gaga and pop star Katy Perry in that key category.
Eminem received 10 Grammy nominations, but ended up winning just two awards, including best rap album for his recording Recovery” Another upset saw Esperanza Spalding take the Grammy for best new artist, beating popular performers Justin Bieber and Drake. Spalding, a jazz bassist and vocalist, released her third CD, Chamber Music Society, last year. 
AP
Esperanza Spalding accepts the award for best new artist at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards, February 13, 2011
"I take this honor to heart so sincerely and I’ll do my damndest to make a whole lot of great music for all of you . It’s such a blessing and an honor. God bless," she said.
Rhythm and blues singer John Legend earned three Grammys for his collaboration with the hip hop group The Roots. Backstage, Legend said he has won other awards, but none gets as much attention as the Grammys. "It’s the most prestigious award that musicians receive. It has a certain aura to it that no other awards have," he said.
The rapper Jay-Z and pop singer Lady Gaga also won three Grammys each.
The evening’s featured performers included musical legends Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger and Barbra Streisand.
For a full list of winners and nominees see: www.grammy.com/nominees
