The U.S. music awards, the Grammys, are underway in Los Angeles honoring both newcomers and veterans.

21-year-old rhythm and blues singer Alicia Keys won four early Grammys Wednesday, including best new artist.

U2

Veteran Irish rockers U2 were also early winners, earning Grammys for best rock album and best pop performance by a group.

The 1960s legend Bob Dylan picked up the fourth Grammy of his career for best folk album of the year.

U2, Keys and fellow rhythm-and-blues diva India.Arie are favorites for some of the most important awards later tonight, including album and song of the year.

The awards ceremony is also featuring tributes to former Beatle guitarist George Harrison who died last year, to victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and for the late rhythm-and-blues singer Aaliyah who died in a plane crash in the Bahamas last August. She was nominated for several awards posthumously.

In a related development, relatives of two hairdressers killed in that plane crash sued the record label Virgin Records and the plane's operator Wednesday for allegedly "putting profits over safety" and subsequent wrongful death.

The Grammys are also taking place against a backdrop of slumping sales in the U.S. music recording industry and a struggle between artists and record companies over rights to songs.

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