STARS COMING OUT ON
GRAMMY NIGHT

Sting, Sean Paul, Martina McBride and the Black Eyed Peas are the latest additions to the list of artists who will perform on the 46th annual Grammy Awards show, NARAS has announced. The four additions join previously announced performers Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, The White Stripes, OutKast, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Earth Wind & Fire, and Robert Randolph & The Family Band.

The Grammy telecast, which will air live on CBS from Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 8 from 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., will also feature a slate of newly announced presenters: Norah Jones (who picked up five Grammys last year), John Mayer (also a winner last year) and Neptunes member Pharrell Williams (currently nominated in six categories), as well as actors Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings) and Amber Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia).

Sting and Sean Paul will perform together for the first time. A 15-time Grammy winner, Sting is currently nominated for Best Male Pop Performance and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals (with Mary J. Blige). He is also MusiCares’ Person of the Year for 2004. Sean Paul has three nominations, including Best New Artist.

McBride, meanwhile, is nominated in Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Short-Form Video. The Black Eyed Peas likewise have two nominations, for Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (with Justin Timberlake).

NARAS has also announced that it is auctioning off one “46th Annual Grammy Ultimate VIP Experience” on eBay. The package includes Platinum-level tickets to the Grammys, a VIP backstage tour, rehearsal passes, tickets to the nominees’ reception, VIP passes to the MusiCares 2004 Person of the Year Tribute to Sting, and one of those Grammy gift bags crammed full of cool junk. Bid at www.ebay.com/grammy.

Hey, maybe we can get in after all...