John Mayer
Photo: MTV News

"My next single is gonna be a cover of Lil Jon, 'From the window to the wall,' " John Mayer said recently, referring to the Atlanta rapper's "Get Low." "I've got some unraveling of my career to do. [Singing] 'Put your t---ies on the glass.' I'm gonna bring that to it. Alicia Keys could sing that and no one would care what it means."

Mayer likes to joke a lot in interviews, of course, and this is another example of that. But the singer/songwriter has in fact promised something different with his next album (see "John Mayer Plans To 'Close Up Shop On Acoustic Sensitive' "), and hip-hop is a direction he's been exploring, playing on upcoming tracks by Common and Kanye West.

On the other hand, Mayer also recently collaborated with B.B. King for the blues great's next album, played onstage with Eric Clapton in London a few weeks ago, and jammed Tuesday night with Buddy Guy at the Jammys. And given the blues show Mayer played in New York at the end of last year, that seems a likelier route.

Or perhaps the follow-up to Heavier Things will be a little bit of a lot of things.

"My goal now is to record as soon as I'm done writing," Mayer said. "I don't like going in and doing a whole record — I think it's a really daunting process. I want to be really inspired by the song that I've written, really wait till I'm familiar with it and then put it down and be excited by it. I'm not thinking, 'I gotta hit 12 songs, gotta hit 12 songs.' I might come up with a bunch, track 'em, go home and take a month off."

Mayer's also considering testing songs with some small-scale shows this summer ("It's just going to be me and a couple of people jamming if I go out," he said), and he definitely wants to keep playing with his musical idols.

"When I sit in, I say, 'I'm pretty good at hangin' back,' " Mayer said. "It's like, 'Listen, I don't need to solo.' "

The singer/songwriter has jammed with West before, and he's hoping to do it more as the rapper's second album nears its July 12 release date.

"I wish I was [living] in the '60s, when you'd walk down the street and there would be six clubs with the doors open and music blaring and you could just drag your amp down the street," Mayer said. "The closest thing you could find now is telling Kanye, 'Look, just put me up onstage, don't worry about it, I got you,' and then just play in the band. The hip-hop song structure is the closest you can get to blues."

Whether West repays the favor and raps or produces on Mayer's next album, the rapper has already played a part simply by serving as inspiration.

"With Kanye, the arrogant thing always comes up, but think about what that does for your ability to make art," Mayer explained. "He doesn't even question himself as to whether he can do it or not. He does it fast and good, and he doesn't stop on the side of the road to wonder if he can do it. To watch him is really amazing because everyone else throws these roadblocks. That man is not in his own way. He can't even stand still when he talks about the music he makes.

"The one thing I fear for him the most," he continued, "is if you keep talking about being the greatest — and he knows this — people eventually are going to want to watch you fail. I hope he gets through that all right 'cause he's just a really inspired guy."

For more on Mayer and West's collaboration, check out "In The Lab With Kanye."

• John Mayer
• Common
• Kanye West
• B.B. King
• Eric Clapton

Bruce Springsteen & Eminem backstage at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards
Photo: WireImage

NEW YORK — One of the most touching moments of the 45th annual Grammy Awards wasn't televised Sunday night.

As the Album of the Year award brought the evening to a close, nominees Eminem and Bruce Springsteen stood backstage at Madison Square Garden, watching a monitor as their names were announced. When Norah Jones was declared the winner, completing her Grammy sweep, Em's head sank. The Boss, noticing, simply put his arm over Shady's shoulder, and the two walked off together into the shadows.

Earlier in the day, Eminem was nowhere to be found during rehearsal. But his backup band, the Roots, had plenty of people to fill-in while they pounded away on "Lose Yourself."

"Snap back to reality/ Oh, there goes gravity," one of the bandmembers rhymed in front of handful of spectators. Watching a couple of 'NSYNC members backstage, however, it was obvious the Philadelphia collective wasn't using the best possible stand-in.

"Oh, there goes Rabbit, he choked/ He's so mad, but he won't/ Give up that easy/ No, he won't have it," an enthralled Chris Kirkpatrick rapped along. Joey Fatone, meanwhile, took a break from his cell phone conversation to play backup dancer, stomping his feet up and down like a Greek fraternity stepper and bouncing his hands up and down like Snoop Dogg in the video for "Gin and Juice."

Earlier in the afternoon, Nelly, draped in his usual Vokal sweat suit, was sprinkling his pimp juice on the MSG stage, practicing with Kelly Rowland. "Whoooo! Now that's the Queen," Nelly yelled with approval as Kelly did some fervent ad-libs of her chorus to "Dilemma."

Meanwhile, the show's organizers and the Garden crew were getting ready — vacuuming carpet, moving equipment. The NYPD let the dogs out (the bomb-sniffing dogs) to make sure everything was safe, and the stars were very incognito as they walked in and out for last-minute preparations, narrowly missing each other. Avril Lavigne exited, camouflage book bag in tow, moments before a gray-bearded Robin Williams arrived. Blues legend B.B. King entered just seconds after Eve bolted for her hotel.

During the red carpet arrivals, the stars not only saw each other, they often arrived together. "Christian, hold up one second. Fred doesn't have his credential," a huge Asian bodyguard with fire engine red hair told Christian Slater before the actor could jump on an elevator without his apparent new best friend, Fred Durst. (Click to see photos from the red carpet.)

Rod Stewart took the opportunity to ride the empty elevator up to the celebrity and press entrance, but not before snickering to his entourage about his red carpet experience. "That was the most horrible 20 minutes," he laughed before getting in.

There was no laughing later on when Hot Rod and company ran into B.B. King's crew. "Hold up, hold up, I'm old," one of King's friends said to Stewart's overzealous talent wrangler, who was practically pushing the elderly man.

Stewart, who was a few feet away behind a black curtain, was unaware of the situation. "I have a group coming through," the talent wrangler told the man.

"That don't have nothing to do with me. You have to wait," the senior citizen defiantly rebutted.

Closer to show time, a hole was practically being worn in the red carpet from all the people walking on it, but the press gauntlet was too much for TLC's T-Boz. "My feet are killing me," she said once she got inside, sitting down in a waiting area for her publicist. She never made it as far as her seat, leaving before the show even started.

Maybe the platinum singer was on to something, because right before show time there was a logjam of stars as everybody tried to make it to their seats at once. Pink, P. Diddy, Usher and his date, Chilli, and Harvey Fierstein, dressed in full drag, all had to wait before they could go inside.

When the show finally commenced, traffic backstage in the media center was busier than goings on in the main arena. "I feel great," Tony Bennett told a room full of reporters. "I have 11 Grammys. Outside of [losing to the soundtrack to 'The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland'], I've won every time [I've been nominated]. I'm still mad at Elmo."

Usher tried to play like he was mad at Chilli, but he was obviously enjoying her frisky displays of affection as they walked from media outlet to outlet. "Stop it, stop it," he kept giggling as she pinched his butt every few feet. "Stop iiiiit," he continued to chuckle until they made their destination.

Usher wasn't the only singer the petite ATL songstress showed love to. She gave hugs to Kelly and Ashanti, who were also making their rounds with the press. "Congratulations, girl," Chilli told Ashanti, who won Best Contemporary R&B Album during the pre-telecast.

"I love you," Ashanti responded.

Unfortunately for silver-screen funnyman Chevy Chase, it looked like "I love you" wasn't what he was going to be hearing when he got home that night. "Who won, who won?" Chase asked a handful of cheering onlookers watching a backstage monitor.

"Nobody won. Eminem just performed," a woman informed him, much to his dismay.

"Oh, I missed it," he said, nervously twitching and putting his hands on head. "My daughter's gonna kill me!"

Too bad Chevy didn't attend the P. Diddy after-hours Grammy party at Lot 61. His daughter would have been asleep or off to school by the time he got home. "I don't think y'all understand," Diddy told his partygoers, who included Jay-Z, Damon Dash, Queen Latifah, Durst, Slater, Jack Osbourne, "Antwone Fisher" co-star Joy Bryant and several Bad Boy artists. "This is one of those parties where you don't wake up the next day, you wake up the next evening at 7 p.m. and go eat dinner. We gonna do this 'til 8 a.m."

Other bashes thrown around Manhattan Sunday night included joint ventures between Common and Erykah Badu as well as Nelly and Justin Timberlake. Fat Joe and the Neptunes also held star-studded fiestas.

For more Grammy news, check out the MTV News Grammy Archive.

• Eminem
• Bruce Springsteen
• *NSYNC
• B.B. King
• Limp Bizkit

Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, and Nelly announce 2003 Grammy nominations
Photo: MTV News

When nominations for the 45th annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday morning, reactions ranged from sincere congratulations to "What were they thinking?" (Click here for the list of nominees.)

Few readers writing to MTVNews.com's You Tell Us forum had sour sentiments about demure Norah Jones, the jazz-influenced singer/pianist who's got a chance to sweep the four biggest categories — Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Best New Artist (see "Eminem, Avril Lavigne, Nelly, Norah Jones Nab Most Grammy Noms"). Jones is also among the eight artists who garnered five nominations. (Click for photos of this year's Grammy nominees.)

"I'm sooo happy for [Norah Jones]," wrote 18-year-old Lexi, from Seattle. "I know many people haven't heard her music, but those who have know how great it is. Big ups to the critics for giving this girl the credit she deserves."

Jones' Come Away With Me faces stiff competition from The Rising, Bruce Springsteen's return to form, and, to a lesser extent, The Eminem Show. Although the mainstream seems to have embraced the volatile rapper, with hardly a protest over his third major-label album or his fictionalized biopic "8 Mile," the Grammys might not be ready to bestow such a prestigious honor to a man who had a hit with a song that talks about killing the mother of his child and stuffing her in a trunk.

Then again, Eminem already has five golden gramophones in his trophy case (though none in the big four categories), and the Recording Academy did grant an Album of the Year Grammy to Steely Dan in 2001, for Two Against Nature, which featured the song "Cousin Dupree," about incest. But old guards like Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have always had Grammy odds in their favor, which is why Springsteen stands such a good shot. And even if The Eminem Show doesn't win for Album of the Year and "Without Me" doesn't lay claim to Record of the Year, Eminem is likely to make good on at least one of his other three nominations.

While Jones stands as the artist with the smallest presence at radio compared with fellow new-artist nominees R&B songbird Ashanti, singer/songwriter Michelle Branch, sensitive guy John Mayer and pop-rocker Avril Lavigne, most of you think the latter stands as her fiercest competition.

"I think Avril Lavigne definitely deserves Best New Artist," wrote 14-year-old Ashley of Thief River Falls, Minnesota. "She's worked so hard and accomplished so much this year."

"There is no doubt that Avril Lavigne should win Best New Artist," echoed 14-year-old Danielle, from Somerset, New Jersey. "She writes her own music, had three top 40 songs in 2002, sold over 4 million copies of her debut, Let Go, and hates Britney Spears. What more could you want in a Best New Artist?"

While statistics may garner gold records, they don't necessarily translate to a Grammy. Awards are (theoretically) doled out to those who demonstrate genuine artistry in their work. And that's Avril Lavigne, isn't it?

"Avril has no business being nominated for as much as she was," disagreed 19-year-old Andrea. "As far as music and creativity go, Britney is more creative — and you know that's a stretch, especially since Britney is nothing but manufactured bubble gum. Avril may have had something going with her and her ties but let's face it, MTV, that's all she has had."

After yesterday's announcement of the nominations, Lavigne has a lot more attached to her, namely a monumental mistake when she mispronounced David Bowie's last name. When reading the list of artists up for the Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, she mispronounced Bowie as "bow-wie" (rhymes with oh, wowee!). An unnerving hush immediately enveloped Madison Square Garden.

"Am I the only person who realizes what a poser Avril Lavigne is?" queried 22-year-old Kim, from Denver. "First of all, she botched the pronunciation of David Bowie, one of the most influential musicians of our time. ... Does Avril know anything about music? ... My point is, although everyone seems to be touting Avril Lavigne as some new prodigy, the fact is that she is not a true musician or artist and is just as fake and untalented as Britney Spears."

And here we thought Avril was the anti-Britney.

While Mayer's the only guy among the gals in the Best New Artist pack, his fans warn not to count him out just because he's outnumbered.

"John Mayer deserves to win the Grammy for Best New Artist," declared 18-year-old Tiffany Johnson, from Austin, Texas. "He is just on a different level from the rest of the nominees. The guy is brilliant."

Nelly, who's up for Album of the Year, Best Male Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Album honors, among others, is feeling the brunt of haters. For the nearly 5 million copies of Nellyville sold, the St. Louis rapper seems to have just as many, if not more, detractors.

"I want to know what the Grammy folks see in Nelly," demanded 19-year-old Jason Curtis of Seattle. "Everyone is hypnotized by his so-called 'skills,' which are by no means good. As far as I'm concerned, Nelly doesn't deserve a Grammy."

It wasn't all trash talk directed at the St. Louis rapper, however. Many have their fingers crossed that the Band-Aid bearing MC will leave with even more gold than he came in with.

"I'm really anticipating seeing Nelly take home the Grammy for best album," wrote 14-year-old Linzi, from Sandusky, Michigan. "I mean, his music is totally hot, and I'm pretty sure that I don't know anyone who isn't into Nelly."

Linzi, meet 21-year-old James, from New Haven, Connecticut.

"It is clear once again that the awards honor what is popular, not what is good," James began. "Nelly has sunk so far down in the talent pool that he's left rapping about sneakers and some sort of heat wave that has apparently swept Nellyville. Talk about meaningless music. Seriously, if it's that hot in 'herre,' then drink a glass of water. Don't make a freakin' song about it."

Fellow hip-hopper Petey Pablo, up for Best Rap Album with Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry, faced some harsh reactions, with fellow nominee Mystikal also catching some heat.

"I am very upset to see that Pete Pablo has been nominated for Best Rap Album," expressed 25-year-old Curtis, from Tallahassee, Florida. "Also, Mystikal's Tarantula album was very disappointing. How come someone like Trick Daddy or Cee-Lo never gets nominated? He is pure trash, and I understand why people like Jay-Z protest the Grammys. If we want to make it mainstream for all these old white people, let's nominate Will Smith. Even though his album sold probably 200 copies, he does not curse."

Such outrage over those who were nominated couldn't rival the furor over those who were left out: uber-producers the Neptunes and anyone from the neo-garage school, such as the Hives, the Vines, the Strokes or the White Stripes.

"How did Dr. Dre get nominated in the Producer of the Year category, while the Neptunes were ignored?" wondered Venni, 18, from Blacksburg, Virginia. "Dre didn't do anything in 2002. Every single song on the radio was produced by the Neptunes."

OK, Venni may be exaggerating a bit, though Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are responsible for Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You," Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Mystikal's "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)," all of which are Grammy-nominated.

"I'm surprised the new 'the' bands didn't get major nods," typed an aghast CJ, 18, from Newmarket, New Hampshire. "I'm sad that the White Stripes were shafted, when overrated Avril Lavigne gets all the credit. Well, the Grammys are pretty lame either way."

If the nominations aroused such fervent feelings in these folks, they'd better be prepared for the shock of February 23. While some surprises can be expected with the nods, utter jaw-droppers like the over-the-hill Jethro Tull winning for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance in 1988 are unmatched.

Stay tuned and stay calm.

For a look back at previous big Grammy winners, red carpet photos and much more, visit our Grammy News Archive.

• Eminem
• Norah Jones
• Nelly
• Dixie Chicks
• Bruce Springsteen

Nelly
Photo: Universal

With eight artists grabbing five nominations each, this year's Grammy Awards looks to be one of the most competitive in the ceremony's 45 years. (Click here for the list of nominees and for photos of this year's Grammy nominees and performers.)

Three relative newcomers, Ashanti, Norah Jones and Avril Lavigne, join Sheryl Crow, Eminem, Nelly, Raphael Saadiq and Bruce Springsteen as the artists with the greatest chances of leaving New York's Madison Square Garden on February 23 with the most golden gramophones in their arms.

All eyes will be on Norah Jones, who stands to reign supreme on Grammy night with four of her five nominations arriving in the big four categories: Best New Artist; Album of the Year, for Come Away With Me; and Song of the Year (given to the songwriter Jesse Harris) and Record of the Year for "Don't Know Why." Jones and her full-length debut album also received nods in the categories Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, while the LP's producer, Arif Mardin, scored one in the Producer of the Year, Non-Classical category to give the Norah Jones camp a whopping eight nominations combined.

Eminem, Nelly, Springsteen and Lavigne received two nods apiece for the big awards. Em's "Without Me" is up for Record of the Year, along with Nelly's "Dilemma" (which features Kelly Rowland), Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" and Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles." The Eminem Show will vie for Album of the Year honors against Come Away With Me, the Dixie Chicks' Home, Nelly's Nellyville and Bruce Springsteen's The Rising.

Springsteen was also nominated in the Song of the Year category for "The Rising." The Boss' tune, which resonated with many after the events of September 11, 2001, will face off against another song inspired by the tragedy, Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)."

The Best New Artist category finds John Mayer the sole male amidst a quartet of ladies, Ashanti, Michelle Branch, Jones and Lavigne, whose single "Complicated" is also up for Song of the Year. (Last year, Alicia Keys walked off with the prestigious honor. Who do you think should win Grammy's equivalent to Rookie of the Year? Take our poll.)

"Chauvinists unite!" Mayer joked at Madison Square Garden, in a half-hearted attempt to strum up support for his cause. "I'm just going to go to sports bars and lobby.

"It's cool," he continued sincerely. "I look at the list and say, 'It makes sense to me.' "

While Ashanti is likely to have her fingers crossed for the big Best New Artist win, she'll be doubly excited when the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category is awarded. Besides receiving a nod for assisting Fat Joe with "What's Luv?" the songbird with the second-best-selling debut album of 2002 has increased her chances of winning with "Always on Time," her collaboration with Ja Rule. Ashanti likes both songs, but she looks to the phrase "blood is thicker than water" when deciding whom to root for.

"I don't necessarily have a preference, but it I had to choose, it would have to be my brother Ja," she said. "That's my family, Murder, Inc. Records."

Nominations for the 45th annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday (January 7) at a press conference held in Madison Square Garden. Among the artists on hand to read the roster of those hopeful for Grammy gold were Ashanti, country singer Kenny Chesney, '80s faceplate Cyndi Lauper, Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, Nelly and producer Jimmy Jam, who filled in for a previously scheduled but absent Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.

The artists each took the podium in turn to announce the contestants for two of the categories, which made for some interesting pronunciations. Ashanti (pronounced a-shan-tee) became the faux-fabulous sounding "A-shan-tay" whenever most on hand mentioned her name; and Lavigne, in announcing the nominees for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance botched David Bowie's name, pronouncing it 'Bow-wee" (as in the dog sound "bow-wow"). The flub is not likely to go unnoticed among Lavigne's critics, and it just might go down in pop-star infamy, the way Britney Spears' remark that suggested Pat Benatar sang "I Love Rock 'N Roll," a song Joan Jett made famous, did in a fall 2001 interview.

Four nominations fell on the Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, R&B singer Remy Shand and Chad Kroeger, who scored one with his band Nickelback, and three others for his song "Hero," penned for the soundtrack to "Spider-Man."

Besides two in the big four, Vanessa Carlton's other nomination came in the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s). While most categories in the Composing/Arranging field are often overlooked in favor of more artist-specific ones, the 21-year-old pianist doesn't consider her third nod to be any less important. In fact, considering that she's the only nominee who's also an artist in that category, she said she's perhaps most proud of that honor because it shows her as the well-rounded artist she is.

"I am most excited for that nomination because it is recognizing the process, something other than the vocal and the song itself," she explained. "It kind of acknowledges how the puzzle fits together. I think [Be Not Nobody] is a beautiful record and I'm really proud to know that people recognized that. I was totally surprised, though. I really was."

India.Arie, Erykah Badu, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Dr. Dre, Randy Newman, Arif Mardin and No Doubt also nabbed three nominations each.

Touting over 100 categories, the Grammys is the most comprehensive music awards show, but even with classifications such as Best Polka Album (for which Jimmy Sturr's Top of the World looks to be the odds-on favorite) and Best Remixed Record, Non-Classical, there just aren't enough designations for some folks.

"Actually, one they didn't mention was best haircut-changing-style every year,' a near-bald Timberlake kidded. "I'm hoping I get the Victrola for that."

Maybe next year, Justin. In the meantime, the 'NSYNC star must be content with just one nomination, for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, for the Clipse-featured "Like I Love You," the first single from his solo debut, Justified.

Super production duo the Neptunes were puzzlingly absent from the Producer of the Year category, which instead found Dr. Dre, Nellee Hooper, Arif Mardin, Rick Rubin, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis attempting to stake their claim to the title. After producing a number of Grammy-nominated tracks, including Timberlake's "Like I Love You," Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Mystikal's "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)," it's a mystery why Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams didn't receive any love from the Recording Academy.

"For the second year in a row, can you imagine that?" Williams said of his Grammy dis. "All the work we've done? For whatever reason, nobody thought to put us on the ballot."

The 45th annual ceremony marks the Grammys' return to New York, after Los Angeles hosted the previous four events. The show will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). Before the show, catch MTV's pre-show telecast "Backstage at the Grammys," airing at 7 p.m. ET.

MTV's parent company, Viacom, also owns CBS.

For more Grammy news, check out the MTV News Grammy Archive.

• Nelly
• Avril Lavigne
• Norah Jones
• Eminem
• Vanessa Carlton

Dee Dee Ramone's guitar and leather jacket
Photo: Hard Rock

The worldwide Hard Rock Cafe chain is opening its vault of music memorabilia to offer the public a glimpse at its treasures, trinkets and trophies. And while ogling such items as Jim Morrison's leather pants and the over-the-top capes worn by Elvis and Elton John, music fans can also brush up on their rock history.

The Hard Rock Vault in Orlando, Florida, will give patrons a peek at its collection, spread out over 17,000 square feet, at a "soft launch" on Monday (December 23), though music fans must wait until January 16 for the official ribbon-cutting, according to a Hard Rock spokesperson. Among the items on display are B.B. King's "Lucille" guitar, Dee Dee Ramone's guitar and black leather jacket, Buddy Holly's signature horn-rimmed glasses, the motorcycle jacket and boots Bruce Springsteen wore on the cover of his Born to Run album, and the two items that started it all for the Hard Rock franchise — the guitars of Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend that hung above the bar in the original Hard Rock Cafe in London (click for photos).

Besides the expected bric-a-brac that is similar to what hangs in Hard Rock Cafes around the world, the Vault offers a virtual time machine called the Total Immersion Tour that allows folks to journey through influential eras like the late '70s punk explosion ("The Back Alley"), the mind-bending '60s ("The Psychedelic Meltdown") and the British Invasion ("The Light and the Dark"), so named for two bands, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, that were almost diametrically opposed in their approach, but together wound up changing the face of music forever.

And what nest of nostalgia would be complete without an homage to Elvis? "The King's Chamber" is the place to go to find items from Presley's early days as a wide-eyed, blues-loving kid from Tupelo, Mississippi, on through his bejeweled reign over the Las Vegas strip.

• The Doors
• Buddy Holly
• B.B. King
• Dee Dee Ramone
• The Ramones

Wyclef Jean
Photo: Columbia

Wyclef Jean, Macy Gray and Sheryl Crow are among the artists who will be heard on the fifth installment of the A Very Special Christmas series.

This year's edition, due November 6, features 15 traditional holiday songs rearranged or rewritten by artists from an array of genres, Interscope Records said.

A Very Special Christmas 4, released in the fall of 1999, was a live album recorded at a concert held the previous year in Washington, D.C. (see "Crow, Blige, Run-DMC On Live 'Very Special Christmas' Album"). The first three, like the new LP, were compilations.

A Very Special Christmas 5 also includes songs from Dido, City High, Eve 6, Stevie Nicks, B.B. King and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, among others.

Wyclef covers "The Little Drummer Boy," during which he breaks into the Calypso standard "Hot, Hot, Hot." He also produced City High's funky "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and raps on Stevie Wonder's "Merry Christmas Baby." Wonder also duets with singer Kimberley Brewer on "I Love You More."

"Merry Christmas Baby" is the first single from the LP, and a video for the song, featuring Wyclef in a Santa suit, is currently being cut.

Aside from producing the album with Bobby Shriver, Jon Bon Jovi contributes a bluesy rendition of "Blue Christmas." Bon Jovi and his namesake band have contributed to three of the four previous A Very Special Christmas records.

Most of the material on A Very Special Christmas 5 was recorded specifically for the LP, which, like the past projects, benefits the Special Olympics.

The new album includes a live version of Stevie Nicks' "Silent Night," which was featured on the first A Very Special Christmas in 1987.

A Very Special Christmas 5 track list, according to Interscope:

• Macy Gray - "This Christmas"
• Wyclef Jean - "The Little Drummer Boy/Hot, Hot, Hot"
• Eve 6 - "Noel! Noel!"
• Jon Bon Jovi - "Blue Christmas"
• Stevie Wonder and Wyclef Jean - "Merry Christmas Baby"
• City High - "O Come, All Ye Faithful"
• SR71 - "Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You"
• Dido - "Christmas Day"
• Sheryl Crow - "Run Rudolph Run"
• B.B. King and John Popper - "Back Door Santa"
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "Little Red Rooster"
• Powder - "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)"
• Stevie Nicks - "Silent Night"
• Stevie Wonder and Kimberley Brewer - "I Love You More"
• Darlene Love - "White Christmas"

• Wyclef Jean
• Macy Gray
• Bon Jovi
• Dido
• Stevie Wonder

John Lee Hooker
Photo: Anton Corbijn

Blues patriarch John Lee Hooker may have been known for his one-chord guitar playing, but that was enough to inspire countless musicians to get their boogie on. "He was timeless, he was priceless and he was precious," Hooker's close friend George Thorogood said backstage before a show in London on Friday night. "And I won't say the world is a little colder now — I'll just say that heaven is a little warmer." Thorogood, who met Hooker in 1971, had a radio hit in 1977 with the Boogie Man's "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." He dedicated Friday's show at Shepherd's Bush Empire to his friend.

One of the last links to the original Delta bluesmen, Hooker died in his sleep at age 83 in his Los Altos, California, home on Thursday, just days after giving his final performance in nearby Santa Rosa (see "Legendary Bluesman John Lee Hooker Dead at 83").

"I know I've lost a good friend, and the world has lost a great talent," B.B. King said in a statement. "He was the best at what he did." Hooker, known for his hypnotic grooves and deep growl, estimated he recorded more than 100 albums since cutting his first single, "Boogie Chillen," in 1948. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2000 Grammys. Among the scores of musicians who have cited Hooker as an influence or have covered his songs are the Rolling Stones, the Animals, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Ben Harper.

"When I was a child, he was the first circus I wanted to run away with," Santana said in a statement.

Bassist Billy Blough of Thorogood's backing group, the Destroyers, said Hooker is "probably the reason for this band's existence." Born in August 1917 near Clarksdale, Mississippi, Hooker was one of 11 children. He began singing spiritual music at a young age, but he credited his stepfather, William Moore, with fueling his love for blues by teaching him guitar. After stints in Memphis and Cincinnati, he eventually made his way to Detroit and began building a reputation in the Motor City's blues scene. His popularity soared during the 1950s blues revival with such hits as "Boom Boom" and "Dimples." "What a loss to the blues world, and how sad having known him so well and for so long," British blues pioneer John Mayall said in a statement. "He's always been one of the foundation stones in my blues roster of influences, and I'll miss him." Mayall's Bluesbreakers were hired as Hooker's backing band for a summer 1964 tour, and Hooker appeared on Mayall's 1999 release, Padlock on the Blues. He helped pass on Hooker's mojo by influencing such artists as Clapton and Mick Taylor as well as Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, who went on to form Fleetwood Mac.

In the '60s, Hooker won over folk fans by switching to a solo acoustic format, while rock acts like the Stones proclaimed him as an influence.

Though blues' popularity declined, Hooker continued play live, write music and record throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s. His final studio album was 1997's Don't Look Back. "Any [musician] who has been doing his own thing for so long to the point where you have so much respect for them, you almost want to be them," former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash said. "The real traditional, down-home blues guitar playing has always been a huge influence on me and countless other guitar players. You could talk to anyone from Eddie Van Halen to Eric Clapton and they'll tell you that." Hooker made a comeback with 1989's The Healer, featuring guest appearances from Santana, Los Lobos and Robert Cray. The album's duet with Bonnie Raitt on "I'm in the Mood" earned him his first Grammy Award.

"I'm deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend and one of the last and greatest of the original Delta bluesmen," Raitt said in a statement Thursday. "John Lee's power and influence in the world of rock, R&B, jazz and blues are a legacy that will never die. Getting to know him and work with him these last 30 years has truly been one of the greatest joys of my life. I'm so very grateful to have known him and know that he went not in pain, truly loved and appreciated the world 'round." Cray, who is credited with helping revive the blues in the '80s, said, "I loved John Lee, and I'll never forget him. In my mind right now, all I can see is John Lee surrounded by people who love him." "A few years back, we lost a lot of great players, like my dad, Johnny Copeland, and Luther Allison," said Shemekia Copeland, who released her acclaimed second album, Wicked, last year. "They were younger, but you just kind of expected John Lee Hooker to live forever." Even with the passing of one of its greatest stars, the blues flame burns bright, with artists like Kenny Wayne Shepherd carrying the torch.

"I was only fortunate enough to meet John Lee Hooker once, but I've listened to his music my whole life," the 24-year-old Shepherd said Friday in a statement. "He lived the hard life when he was young, and it made his music as real as it gets. His impact on blues and rock and roll will always be huge, and everyone who plays and sings should thank him every day for what he gave us." Memorial services for Hooker were still being finalized at press time. A private funeral will likely be held on Wednesday, with a possible public service to follow a few days later, according to Hooker's management office.

• John Lee Hooker
• B.B. King
• George Thorogood
• Santana
• John Mayall

B.B. King
Photo: Black and White

B.B. King proved he's still the king of the blues by nabbing two W.C. Handy Blues Awards Thursday during a ceremony at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee. King won Blues Entertainer of the Year and Contemporary Blues Album with Eric Clapton for their 2000 record, Riding With the King. Also winning two awards was young vocalist Shemekia Copeland, who took home Best Contemporary Female and Blues Album of the Year awards for Wicked. Etta James was honored twice as well, taking home the Soul Female Artist of the Year award before being inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Fiery performances at the event were provided by Taj Mahal & the Phantom Blues Band, Bobby Rush, Eddy Clearwater, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Big Jack Johnson, Kim Wilson and Levon Helm. Other winners:

• Blues Song of the Year - Rick Vito ("It's 2 AM")
• Blues Band of the Year - Taj Mahal & the Phantom Blues Band
• Traditional Blues Album - Son Seals (Letting Go)
• Acoustic Blues Album - Robert Lockwood Jr. (Delta Crossroads)
• Historical Album - Otis Spann/Last Call (Mr. Cat Music)
• Soul Male Artist of the Year - Little Milton
• Comeback Blues Album - Mel Brown (Neck Bones & Caviar)
• Soul Blues Album - Irma Thomas (My Heart is in Memphis)
• Contemporary Male Artist - Eddy Clearwater
• Traditional Female Artist - Koko Taylor
• Acoustic Blues Artist - Keb' Mo'
• Traditional Male Artist - James Cotton
• Best New Artist Debut - North Mississippi Allstars (Shake Hands With Shorty)
• Blues Instrumentalist: Guitar - Duke Robillard
• Blues Instrumentalist: Harmonica - Charlie Musselwhite
• Blues Instrumentalist: Bass - Willie Kent
• Blues Instrumentalist: Drums - Chris Layton
• Blues Instrumentalist: Horns - Roomful of Blues
• Blues Instrumentalist: Keyboard - Pinetop Perkins
• Blues Instrumentalist: Other - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (Fiddle)

• B.B. King

Filmmaker Wim Wenders, who recently helmed the Bono-penned flick, "The Million Dollar Hotel," as well as the Oscar-nominated 1999 documentary, "Buena Vista Social Club," is among the group of directors who have been tapped to oversee an upcoming mini-series on blues music.

Other directors who have committed to the project, dubbed "The Blues," include Marc Levin, the man behind the 1998 hip-hop poetry flick, "Slam," and Michael Apted, who directed the most recent James Bond film, "The World Is Not Enough."

Martin Scorsese, who is serving as one of the executive producers for "The Blues," may also direct an episode of the planned six-part documentary series. "The Blues" will detail the history of the music genre, as well as such progenitors as Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and Robert Johnson.

"I've always felt an affinity for blues music," Scorsese wrote in a statement. "The culture of storytelling through music is incredibly fascinating and appealing to me. The blues have a great emotional resonance and are the foundation for American popular music."

"The Blues" series, which has yet to secure a broadcast deal, will be a joint production of Scorsese's Cappa Productions, Offline Entertainment, and Clear Blue Sky Productions, whose president, Jody Patton, also serves as the executive director of the Experience Music Project in Seattle.

• B.B. King

Susan Tedeschi, R.L. Burnside, Keb' Mo', Wilson Pickett, and B.B. King were among the winners of the 21st W.C. Handy Blues Awards presented on Thursday night at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis.

• 8/1 - Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
• 8/2 - Chula Vista, CA @ Coors Amphitheatre
• 8/3 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
• 8/4 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
• 8/5 - Concord, CA @ Chronicle Pavilion
• 8/6 - Universal City, CA @ Universal Amphitheatre
• 8/8 - Turlock, CA @ California State University
• 8/9 - Marysville, CA @ Sacramento Valley Amphitheatre
• 8/10 - Reno, NV @ RenoHilton Amphitheatre
• 8/11 - Portland, OR @ New Showboat Amphitheatre
• 8/12 - Woodinville, WA @ Chateau Ste. Michelle
• 8/13 - Woodinville, WA @ Chateau Ste. Michelle
• 8/15 - Englewood, CO @ Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
• 8/16 - Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre
• 8/18 - Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park Amphitheatre
• 8/19 - Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park Amphitheatre
• 8/20 - Evansville, IN @ Mesker Amphitheatre
• 8/23 - Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
• 8/24 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
• 8/25 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
• 8/26 - Madison, WI @ Madison Blues Festival
• 8/27 - Hinckley, MN @ Grand Casino Hinckley
• 8/29 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
• 8/30 - Syracuse, NY @ New York State Fair
• 8/31 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Iron City Light Amphitheatre
• 9/1 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Performing Arts Center
• 9/2 - Canandaigua, NY @ Finger Lakes P.A.C.
• 9/3 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Casino
• 9/4 - Danbury, CT @ Charles Ives Concert Park
• 9/6 - Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap Filene Center
• 9/7 - Baltimore, MD @ Pier Six Concert Pavilion
• 9/8 - Columbus, OH @ Polaris Amphitheater
• 9/9 - St. Louis, MO @ Fox Theatre
• 9/10 - Noblesville, IN @ Deer Creek Music Center
• 9/12 - Wallingford, CT @ SNET Oakdale Theatre
• 9/13 - Boston, MA @ FleetBoston Pavilion
• 9/14 - Boston, MA @ FleetBoston Pavilion
• 9/15 - Holmdel, NJ @ P.N.C. Bank Arts Center
• 9/16 - Wantagh, NY @ Jones Beach Amphitheatre
• 9/17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Music Center
• 9/30 - The Woodlands, TX @ C.W. Mitchell Pavilion

• B.B. King
• Susan Tedeschi