53rd Annual Grammy Awards: Early Winners List Includes Jay-Z, Cee Lo, Alicia Keys, Mavis Staples, Fantasia & The Late, Great James Moody

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners
Every year, The Recording Academy honors outstanding achievements of some of today's biggest acts in music via its Grammy Awards. In celebration of this year's ceremony and Black History Month, Blackvoices.com explores a range of black Grammy Award winners, from legendary one-time Grammy winners such as Smokey Robinson and Salt 'N' Pepa, to some of the iconic multiple Grammy winners like Quincy Jones and Aretha Franklin. To coincide with the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, here's a look 52 black Grammy winners through the years.

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners

Stevie Wonder
Notable Grammy Wins: Best Rhythm & Blues Song for 'Superstition' (1973), Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 'For Your Love' (1995), Lifetime Achievement Award (1996), Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals for 'St. Louis Blues' (1998)
Signature Song: 'You Are the Sunshine of My Life'
Factoid : Discovered by The Miracles' Ronnie White, this Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was one of Motown Records most successful solo artists. The blind singer, songwriter and pianist won an Academy Award in 1984 for best song for 'I Just Called to Say I Love You' from the movie 'The Woman in Red.'

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners

Lisa Fischer
Grammy Win: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for 'How Can I Ease the Pain' (1992)
Signature Song: 'How Can I Ease the Pain'
Factoid: The Fort Green, Brooklyn native spent time as a background singer for both Luther Vandross and the Rolling Stones for two decades. More recently, the powerhouse vocalist added background vocals on Aretha Franklin's very first Christmas opus.

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners

Tina Turner
Notable Grammy Wins: Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo for 'Proud Mary' (1971), Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female, for 'Better Be Good To Me,' (1984), Record of the Year for 'What's Love Got To Do With It' (1984), Best Rock Vocal Performance for 'One of the Living' (1985).
Signature Song: 'What's Love Got to Do with It?'
Factoid: Turner's best-selling biography 'I, Tina' was adapted into a successful motion picture, 'What's Love Got to Do With It,' which garnered Angela Bassett an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of the Nutbush, Tennessee-born singer (nee Anna Mae Bullock).

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners

Darius Rucker (with Hootie and the Blowfish)
Grammy Wins: Best New Artist (1995) and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for 'Let Her Cry' (1995)
Signature Song: 'Only Wanna Be With You'
Factoid: Since forming Hootie & the Blowfish with his University of South Carolina bandmates, former lead singer and guitarist, Darius Rucker, 43, has established himself as a country music star. His recent, chart-topping success comes after a failed R&B venture with Hidden Beach Recordings, the home of fellow Grammy winner Jill Scott.

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners

Maurice White (Earth, Wind & Fire)
Notable Grammy Wins: Best R&B Song for 'Fantasy' (1978), Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus for 'After the Love Has Gone' (1979), Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus for 'Shining Star' (1975)
Signature Song: 'Shining Star'
Factoid: Best known for founding one of the most successful bands in music, Earth, Wind & Fire, Maurice White goes by the nickname Reese. The Chicago native and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee has worked with Barbara Streisand, The Emotions and Neil Diamond and is credited with naming his famous band.

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners

Kanye West
Notable Grammy Wins: Best Rap Album for 'The College Dropout' (2004), Best Rap Song for 'Jesus Walks' (2004), Best Rap Solo Performance for 'Stronger' (2007)
Signature Song: 'Jesus Walks'
Factoid: It was actually Jay-Z's former business partner Damon Dash who gave West, an admitted college drop-out, his big break and agreed to sign him as an artist to Roc-A-Fella Records.

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners

Whoopi Goldberg
Grammy Win: Best Comedy Performance Single or Album, Spoken or Musical for 'Whoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadway' (1985)
Claim to Fame: Portraying Celie Johnson in 'The Color Purple' movie.
Factoid: This 'View' co-host is one of only 10 entertainers to have earned an Oscar, a Grammy, a Tony and an Emmy Award. In the mid-90s, Goldberg stopped taking airplane flights, but then resumed flying in 2009 for the London musical theater adaptation of her famed movie 'Sister Act.'

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners

Mariah Carey
Notable Grammy Wins: Best Pop Vocal Performance for 'Vision of Love' (1990), Best New Artist (1990), Best Contemporary R&B Album for 'The Emancipation of Mimi' (2005)
Signature Song: 'Vision of Love'
Factoid: Since her 1990 debut, this Long Island, New York native has grown from a balladeer to America's most successful artist of that decade. The 'Hero' singer has more number one singles than Elvis, with only The Beatles beating her 18 chart-toppers.

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners

Living Colour
Grammy Wins: Best Hard Rock Performance for 'Time's Up' (1990) and Best Hard Rock Performance for 'Cult of Personality (1989)
Signature Song: 'Cult of Personality'
Factoid: This New York City-based funk metal band grew out of the Black Rock Coalition, a nonprofit founded by the group's lead guitarist, Vernon Reid, for black musicians interested in playing rock music. The group's 1990 sophomore album included notable appearances by Queen Latifah, Doug E. Fresh, Little Richard and Maceo Parker.

Grammy by the Numbers: 52 Grammy Award Winners