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Sanz Earns 4 Latin Grammys - 2001-10-31


The Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz has earned four Latin Grammys. Winners of the music industry honors were announced Tuesday in Los Angeles. The award show had been scheduled for September 11, but was cancelled in the wake of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

Winners instead were announced in a low-key presentation in a Los Angeles nightclub. The Latin Grammy awards show, now in its second year, had been moved from Miami to Los Angeles out of fear that Cuban exiles would disrupt the production. They were angry about the involvement of artists from communist Cuba. In the wake of the terror attacks, the show was finally cancelled and replaced by a small-scale presentation.

Singer Alejandro Sanz received the Latin Grammys for record, song and album of the year, as well as best vocalist for the song and album El Alma Al Aire.

The comedian Paul Rodriguez was one of the two presenters, along with actor Jimmy Smits, who recalled the attacks of September 11. "So much has changed because of that. But in the best possible way, I think what's happened is that it has galvanized us in a new way of patriotism," says Mr. Smits. "And for entertainers, we have a saying that the show must go on, the music must go on. The music will go on."

Other winners of Latin Grammys include Christina Aguilera, honored for her pop vocal album Mi Reflejo, and newcomer Juanes. The Colombian-born rocker won Latin Grammys for his song and album Fijate Bien, and was also named best new artist.

Nestor Torres received the Latin Grammy for best pop instrumental album for This Side of Paradise. Accepting the award, he spoke of the terror attacks September 11. "It will be really a focal point for us to really move forward and be united, and bring the best out of ourselves," he says.

Michael Green heads the Recording Academy, which presents the Latin Grammys. He urged the winners to get busy producing new work, to be highlighted next year in a public cerebration of the best in Latin music.

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