Herbie Hancock

Veteran jazz pianist Herbie Hancock has won the album of the year prize at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.

Hancock's album - River: The Joni Letters is a tribute to singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell.

Hancock said in his acceptance speech Sunday in the U.S. city of Los Angeles that it had been 43 years since a jazz artist won the top album Grammy.

Troubled artist Amy Winehouse won song of the year for her hit "Rehab", an autobiographical song about drug addiction that closely mirrors her life.

Winehouse - who performed during the ceremony via satellite from London - also won awards for: best new artist, best female pop vocal, and best pop vocal album.

Kanye West won the best rap album award for Graduation.

The Foo Fighters took home the best rock album award and Chaka Khan earned the best r and b (rhythm and blues) album prize.

U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama won a Grammy, triumphing over nominee former U.S. president Bill Clinton.

Obama won for best spoken word album for the audio version of his book "The Audacity of Hope."

Mr. Clinton was nominated for the audio version of his book Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.