The 54th annual Grammy Awards kicked off with a song and a prayer on Sunday night, as the Recording Academy took time to pay tribute to Whitney Houston after her untimely and tragic death at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, on Saturday afternoon.

Host LL Cool J opened the ceremony by telling the audience: "There is no way around this. We've had a death in our family," before reading a prayer for the late singer.

"Heavenly father, we thank you for sharing our sister Whitney with us," Cool J said. "Though she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed to have been touched by her beautiful spirit."

Bruno Mars also included the late singer in his performance of "Runaway Baby," saying, "Tonight we're celebrating. Tonight we're celebrating the beautiful Miss Whitney Houston," while Jennifer Hudson performed a tribute to Houston during the main ceremony.


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Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt paid tribute to the late Etta James, who died last month. Mitch and Janis Winehouse were at the ceremony to honor Amy Winehouse, who won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Body And Soul" with Tony Bennett. "We shouldn't be here. Our darling daughter should be here," Winehouse's father, Mitch, said after he accepted the Grammy for his late daughter.

And while Kanye West -- who was not in attendance -- led the pack with seven nominations this year, it was Adele who reigned queen of the Grammys tonight!

The British songstress took home awards for Song of the Year, "Rolling in the Deep," Best Pop Solo Performance for "Someone Like You," Album Of The Year, 21, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Album!

Adele gushed onstage after winning her first award of the night, "I can't believe I'm getting emotional already. My life changed when I wrote this song, and I felt it before anyone even heard it, and seeing as it's a vocal performance, I need to thank my doctors, I suppose, who brought my voice back."

Country songstress Taylor Swift also won big tonight, taking home the Grammy for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for her anti-bullying song, "Mean."

Chris Brown, Rihanna and Coldplay, Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry also performed live during tonight's awards show.

Check out a complete list of the Grammy Awards winners, after the jump ...