Kanye, Winehouse early Grammy leaders

Alicia Keys accepts the award for Best Female R&B Performance at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles, California February 10, 2008. [Agencies]

The Grammys got underway with a classic feel, and Kanye West and Amy Winehouse — two of the night's most compelling storylines — were among the early leaders at Sunday night's ceremony.

West won three trophies at the pre-telecast ceremony: best rap solo performance for "Stronger," best rap song for "Good Life" and best rap performance by a duo or group for his collaboration with Common on "Southside." Winehouse won two: best pop vocal album for "Back to Black" and best female pop vocals.

This is the 50th anniversary of the Grammy awards, and the show emphasized that point with its very first performance. Alicia Keys, glammed-up with a '50s style, sat at the piano and sang "Learnin' the Blues" along with a black-and-white video performance from long-gone legend Frank Sinatra.

"Frank Sinatra looked good for 150, didn't he," Prince joked moments later before introducing Alicia Keys as the winner for best female R&B vocal for her smash "No One.

Carrie Underwood was another early performer with her revenge anthem "Before He Cheats," which had already earned two Grammys, including for best female country vocal performance.

Bruce Springsteen garnered three pre-show Grammys, including best rock song for "Radio Nowhere." Other early winners included the White Stripes, Justin Timberlake and Mary J. Blige, who both had two each; the Foo Fighters, Herbie Hancock and even Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama for best spoken-word album.

Though the pre-telecast ceremony, where most of the Grammys' 110 categories are doled out, is usually low on star-wattage, there were several big names on hand to accept their trophies, including Underwood, the Foos and Brad Paisley.

"You couldn't keep me from actually getting this myself — it's not the same when someone else gets this on your behalf," said Underwood.

West was the night's leading nominee with eight nods: He has a history, good or bad, of creating memorable awards show moments. But Winehouse — who wasn't even able to attend — threatened to upstage him and everyone else on Grammy night.