GRAMMYS PLAY-BY-PLAY: ALL THE ACTION
And we're underway. Host Trevor Noah begins with a rooftop intro and presents leadoff performers Silk Sonic, who've already claimed some hardware. They perform the Vegas-appropriate "777."
Noah cruising through the crowd pointing out the starry attendees and doing a lot of material that CBS' core audience won't really understand (and an obligatory Oscars slap joke).
Next performer is nomination magnet Olivia Rodrigo, crooning "drivers license" in a car. 
They are stacking up the performances. J Balvin and Maria Becerra are on next; the smokin' perf is already lighting up the socials.
Questlove, halfway to EGOT, presents the Song of the Year trophy. "Leave the Door Open," with which Silk Sonic opened the show, takes it. Bruno and Anderson sure are dapper.
BTS comes out for their performance of hit "Butter." Clearly, a significant contingent of stans is in the MGM Grand. The tightly choreographed number is another in a series of strong perfs.
Lil Nas X, who (as Noah says) will upset "your homophobic uncle," is joined by Jack Harlow for "INDUSTRY BABY," intercut with "MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)." Oh, to have abs like that. Hey, is any of that pasta left? We also note multiple costume changes in this number, including a glittery, Michael Jackson-esque band uniform. Standing O for LNX.
Kelsea Ballerini and actor Anthony Mackie present the Best Country Album trophy to Chris Stapleton for Starting Over, his third trophy of the day. Stapleton and producer Dave Cobb accept.
A big and sweet shout-out for live-music crews. Production manager Nicole Massey brings out Billie Eilish for a performance of nominated song "Happier Than Ever," with FINNEAS on guitar. Eilish is wearing a Taylor Hawkins T-shirt in tribute to the recently departed Foo Fighters drummer. The crescendo is, fittingly, a big rock moment... replete with onstage rain.
Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion present the Best New Artist gong to a seemingly stunned Olivia Rodrigo, who holds back tears while thanking John Janick for “believing in [her] songwriting before everyone else.” Steve Berman, Michelle An and songwriter Dan Nigro also get props from the glowing star.
Bonnie Raitt and MusiCares Person of the Year Joni Mitchell welcome Brandi Carlile, who performs “Right on Time”—first from the piano, then on electric guitar. Unsurprisingly, her soaring vocals take all the breaths away.
A kid chants the intro of Nas’ motivational “I Can” before the iconic rapper barrels through a fiery mash-up of “One Mic” and “Rare.” Ludacris then appears to give Best Rap Performance to Baby Keem, who accepts the award on behalf of himself and his cousin Kendrick Lamar, citing "family ties."
Tour production pro Katie Wilkinson brings out Chris Stapleton, who wails his way through Country Song of the Year “Cold”—after winning all three of the categories he was nominated in. He is armed with pure soul and a killer string section behind him. Goosebumps cover everyone within earshot.
Referencing the war in Ukraine, Trevor Noah says that “even in the darkest times, music has the power to lift spirits and give you hope for a brighter tomorrow.” In a video message, the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, delivers a powerful speech about the ongoing terror. “Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos,” he declares, adding that the “music will break through anyway.” He urges viewers to find solace in music and use their voices to tell the truth about what’s happening overseas—whether that’s through song or social media. John Legend lends the proceedings a moving performance of “Free” with Ukrainian singer Mika Newton and bandura player Siuzanna Iglidan, during which Ukrainian poet Lyuba Yakimchuk shares heartfelt words for her loved ones and countrymates.
Tony Bennett’s retirement from live performance left Lady Gaga to do the heavy lifting performing the songs of Cole Porter during a moment that sparkled with old-school class. She belted out the title tune from their Grammy winner Love for Sale accompanied by a big band and string section, following it with the ballad “Do I Love You,” which drew a standing O from Eilish and others.
Jazmine Sullivan picked up her second Grammy of the night, receiving the Best R&B Album award for Heaux Tales from Billy Porter, who was clad in a striking all-fuchsia ensemble.
Rodrigo’s collection of rookie-year Grammys grew to three with a Best Pop Album win for SOUR, which followed wins for Best New Artist and Pop Solo Performance. She dedicated the award to her parents, talking about her aspirations at the age of nine.
Nearly a minute of Taylor Hawkins footage, with Foo Fighters' “My Hero” playing, opened the In Memoriam section. The rest of the segment featured the music of Stephen Sondheim, most prominently “Send in the Clowns” and “Somewhere,” sung solemnly yet forcefully by Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., Ben Platt and Rachel Zegler.
Jon Batiste recreated the dance steps seen in CBS’ NCAA men’s basketball tournament ads as his rendition of “Freedom” ventured into a world featuring dancers performing against an animated backdrop. Batiste, as usual, was fully animated in real life.
Doja Cat and SZA labored to the stage after winning Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Kiss Me More”—SZA on crutches and Doja racing back from taking a piss, as she put it. "Piss" made it, but the next line got bleeped.
Lenny Kravitz shares the stage with H.E.R. for a rockin' rendition of his "I Want to Get Away."
Silk Sonic snagged Record of the Year for "Leave the Door Open," deepening the old-school vibe of the show—and busting the brackets of the Vegas handicappers. For those keeping score, that's ROTY and SOTY in a pair of major upsets. But it just goes to prove that everybody loves Bruno.
Carrie Underwood at the plate amid a powerful wind, belts out "Ghost Story."
And now, Album of the Year goes to what we were beginning to anticipate, given the flow of the evening: most-nominated artist Jon Batiste. That's five of 11—a solid percentage from the three-point line. Maybe Colbert will give him Monday night off.
The big win caps an unforgettable day for the CBS late-night bandleader, who was already flying high before the network's telecast of Music's Biggest Night began, thanks to a needle-moving profile on CBS Sunday Morning.
As we're processing that, Brothers Osborne take the final slot—randomly, given the calibrated arc of the show—blazing through "Dead Man's Curve," because that's what they do.
When all is said and done, Grammy will be Grammy.
Hours before the CBS show began, Batiste received four Grammy Awards in Sunday’s pre-telecast ceremony, while Foo Fighters and CeCe Winans took home three wins. Chris Stapleton and the late Chick Corea have two wins each—and Questlove has a Grammy to partner with his Oscar.
“Cry,” by Batiste, who lead the night with 11 noms, was named Best American Roots Song and Americana Roots Performance. “Freedom” won the Music Video award.
Batiste also won Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for his work with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on the film Soul. Batiste, Reznor and Ross previously won the Oscar for their score. The trio tied with fellow winner Carlos Rafael Rivera, composer of The Queen's Gambit.
Foo Fighters swept the rock categories—Album (Medicine at Midnight), Performance (“Making a Fire”) and Song (“Waiting on a War”)—taking their career tally to 15.
CeCe Winans won Best Gospel Album, Best Gospel Performance/Song (“Never Lost”) and Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song (“Believe for It”).
Stapleton won Best Country Song for “Cold,” which he wrote with Dave Cobb, J.T. Cure and Derek Mixon and Country Solo Performance for “You Should Probably Leave.”
The Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga project Love for Sale was honored with Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.
Brothers Osborne won for T.J. Osborne’s song about his coming out as gay, “Younger Me." In accepting the Country Duo/Group Performance Grammy, he said, “I never thought I would be able to make music because of my sexuality. Never thought I’d be on this stage. And here I am with a man I love who loves me back. I don’t know why I’m so lucky.”
MusiCares Person of the Year Joni Mitchell was honored with the Best Historical Album for Rhino’s Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967). It’s her ninth win.
Questlove gets to put a Grammy next to his Oscar for Summer of Soul, taking home the Best Music Film award with producers David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent and Joseph Patel. The leader of The Roots used his thank-you speech to salute the performers featured in the documentary, among them Stevie Wonder, The Fifth Dimension, Ray Barretto, Sly and the Family Stone and Abbey Lincoln.
The pre-telecast ceremony at the MGM Grand Marquee Ballroom in Las Vegas, during which about 75 awards were handed out, opened with a few of the Music for Visual Media categories.
Bo Burnham’s song “All Eyes on Me” received the Best Song Written for Visual Media trophy. Warners’ Andra Day won Best Compilation Soundtrack for The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
Stewart Copeland won his first Grammy outside of his work with The Police, garnering Best New Age Album for his set with Ricky Kej, Divine Tides. It’s the drummer's first win in 38 years.
With his two wins (Latin Jazz Album and Improvised Jazz Solo), Corea's tally is now up to 27, tying him with Alison Krauss for third on the all-time Grammy win list. (Quincy Jones and Beyoncé are tied for second place; Georg Solti is top dawg.)
