Beyonce and Miley Cyrus duet claims country prize as Grammys kick off

Los Angeles: Beyonce and Miley Cyrus won the Grammy Award for best country duo or group performance on Sunday in one of the first honors handed out at the highest accolades in the music business.

The pair won the trophy for II Most Wanted, a song on Beyonce's album Cowboy Carter, during a non-televised ceremony ahead of the primetime show that will air live on CBS starting at 8 pm Eastern (0100 GMT on Monday).

The red-carpet event in downtown Los Angeles will honor musicians while acknowledging the deadly wildfires that scarred a hub of the industry. Comedian Trevor Noah returns as host.

Beyonce is competing for the top Grammy prize of album of the year with Cowboy Carter. The superstar singer has never won the album trophy despite winning 32 career Grammys, more than any other musician.

Also in the running for album of the year are megastar Taylor Swift for The Tortured Poets Department and Billie Eilish for Hit Me Hard and Soft.

Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Benson Boone and Teddy Swims - all nominees in a competitive best new artist field - were among the night's scheduled performers.

"I think this rookie class is one of the best rookie classes ever," genre-blending artist Swims told Reuters on the Grammys red carpet. "I'm just so honored."

Fundraising for LA wildfires

Organizers said the ceremony would be part awards show and part fundraiser for people affected by the wildfires, which were finally contained on Friday after more than three weeks. Hundreds of musicians were among the thousands of Angelenos who lost homes in the disaster.

Singer Sheryl Crow said she supported the decision of Grammy organizers to go ahead with the ceremony with the added mission of raising recovery funds.

"People are going to feel like they are filled with purpose and not just picking up awards," she said on the red carpet.

The major question for the awards was whether Beyonce would finally land the top prize.

At last year's Grammys, Beyonce's husband and rapper Jay-Z argued that voters had not given proper recognition to Black artists including his wife. Grammy winners are chosen by the 13,000 singers, songwriters, producers, engineers and others who make up the Recording Academy.

"Cowboy Carter" was viewed by experts and fans as a reclamation and homage to an overlooked legacy of Black Americans within country music and culture. It became the first album by a Black woman to land at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart when it was released last spring.

The Beyonce album was snubbed, however, by voters for the Country Music Awards in their nominations in September.

The "Cowboy Carter" nomination is Beyonce's fifth entry in the album of the year category. Swift has won the honor a record four times, including last year for "Midnights."

Going into the ceremony, Beyonce led all Grammy nominees this year with 11 nods, followed by Eilish, Charli XCX, Kendrick Lamar and Post Malone with seven nominations each. Swift landed six nominations and will present one of the night's awards.

Beyonce's other Grammy nods include record and song of the year for single "Texas Hold 'Em."

Competitors for song of the year, an award for songwriters, are Eilish for Birds of a Feather, Carpenter for Please Please Please and Roan for Good Luck, Babe!

In record of the year, nominees include Carpenter's "Espresso" and Swift's duet with Post Malone, Fortnight.