Three awards to Springsteen

Press, 31 January 1986, Page 23

Three awards to Springsteen

NZPA-AP Los Angeles

The “blue-collar rocker” Bruce Springsteen, won three American Music Awards for his 18-month-old record album “Bom in the U.S.A.” Nine other artists or groups won two awards each at ceremonies that ended with a stirring first anniversary salute to the American African famine aid group, U.S.A. for Africa.

Willie Nelson won two awards as a solo artist and another two as a member of the country super-group, Highwayman, which includes Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Wayion Jennings and Johnny Cash.

Two awards each were also won by a newcomer, Whitney Houston; the hard-rocking Huey Lewis and the News; the soul singer, Aretha Franklin; the country singer, Crystal

Gayle, the veteran country group Alabama; a funk group, Kool and the Gang; and Stevie Wonder.

Bruce Springsteen won favourite male- vocalist, album and male video artist, all in the pop-rock category. The awards capped his year-long success with a world tour that helped to boost the sales of his “Born in the U.S.A.” album to more than 12 million. Neither Willie Nelson nor Bruce Springsteen attended the televised thirteenth annual American Music Awards show at the Shrine Auditorium. The awards honoured nominees in 27 categories of pop-rock, country, and soul-rhythm-and-blues. A special ceremony honoured the creators of “We are the World,” the charity song which has raised SUS 44 million ($83.6 million) to feed the

hungry in the United States and Africa.

The host, Diana Ross, asked as many of the 45 original performers as were present to join her on stage for a special anniversary rendition of the song. They included Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Harry Belafonte, Kim Carnes, Stevie Wonder and others who recorded the song on January 28, 1985. Elizabeth Taylor also joined in. Special awards were given to Harry Belafonte, the Irish rock star, Bob Geldof, and Willie Nelson, who organised the group, U.S.A. for Africa, the Live Aid world concert and group Band Aid and Farm Aid, respectively. Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, a promoter Ken Kragan and Lionel Richie each received a special American Music Award for their roles in

making “We are the World.”

Highlights also included a solo performance by a wheelchair-bound soul singer, Teddy Pendergrass, and a tribute to Rick Nelson by his twin sons that brought tears to the audience’s eyes. Whitney Houston, got the most nominations at six, she won the favourite single award for “You Give Good Love” and the favourite video single for “Saving All My Love for You,” both in the soul-rhythm-and-blues category.

In the same category, Aretha Franlkin — enjoying a career revival with her “Who’s Zoomin Who?” — won favourite female vocalist and favourite female video artist. “The Power of Love,” the theme song from the movie “Back to the Future,” won favourite

single and favourite video single in the pop-rock category for Huey Lewis and the News.

In the country category, Willie Nelson was named favourite male vocalist and won the favourite single prize for “Forgiving You is Easy.” His group, Highwayman, won the favourite video single and the video duo-group prizes.

Paul McCartney, a former Beatle, received an award of merit for his career accomplishments during the awards ceremony.

The nominees for the American Music Awards were chosen by American Music Association directors, based on the end-of-year sales charts of main music publications. The winners were selected by a popularity poll sent to 20,000 people.