BOSTON, February 14, 2005 — Six Berklee College of Music alumni walked away from last night's Grammy Award ceremony with a total of nine Grammy Awards in varied categories. The winners included John Mayer, Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks, and film composer Howard Shore. Exemplifying the diversity of the music emanating from Berklee, the winners were recognized for their outstanding contributions in categories spanning the genres of pop, R&B, rock, jazz, country, film scoring, and for audio engineering, and arranging. With last night's wins, Berklee alumni have now won a total of 108 Grammy Awards.

John Mayer '98 won two awards for the song 'Daughters,' in the categories Song of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Also taking home two awards each were Lord of the Rings-Return of the King composer Howard Shore 69, in the categories Best Score Soundtrack Album For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media, and Best Song Written For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media, for 'Into the West,' co-written and performed by Annie Lennox; and Peter Karam '94 for his work on Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company, in the categories Album of the Year, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

Natalie Maines '95 of the Dixie Chicks won her eighth award, in the category Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal. Also garnering awards were Bill Frisell '77 in the Best Contemporary Jazz Album category, for Unspeakable; and Victor Vanacore '74 for his arrangement of the song 'Over The Rainbow,' sung by Ray Charles & Johnny Mathis, from Genius Loves Company.

Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music was through the study and practice of contemporary music. For over half a century, the college has evolved constantly to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. With over a dozen performance and nonperformance majors, a diverse and talented student body representing over 70 countries, and a music industry "who's who" of alumni, Berklee is the world's premier learning lab for the music of today — and tomorrow.

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Margot Edwards
Office of Public Information
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medwards@berklee.edu