Just got the news that Amy Winehouse will be performing at the Grammys -- from England, via telecast.

Her visa had been denied earlier in the day, and it's just as well. She really needs to keep with the rehab, which ironically is the name of a song I think will open this year's awards show. Can't wait.

Now for my Grammy predictions. I'll give you the category, the nominees, who I would pick to win and who I think will win. This is in the order of the awards, as listed on the Grammy's Web site.

Record of the Year goes to the artist, producer, engineer and mixers. It is not for songwriting. It is about the track itself.

Nominees are: "Irreplaceable" by Beyonce. "The Pretender" by Foo Fighters. "Umbrella" by Rihanna. "What Goes Around ... Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake. "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse.

Who should win: Winehouse, fools.

Who will win: Amy will, but JT could sneak a win in here.

***

Album of the Year goes to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s)/Mixer(s) & Mastering Engineer(s), if other than the artist.

Nominees are: "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" by Foo Fighters. "These Days" by Vince Gill. "River: The Joni Letters" by Herbie Hancock. "Graduation" by Kanye West. "Back to Black" by Amy Winehouse.

Who should win: Amy.

Who will win: Winehouse probably, but watch out for Herbie Hancock. That CD featured Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Corinne Bailey Rae.

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Song of the Year goes to the songwriter(s).

Nominees are: "Before He Cheats" by Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins. "Hey There Delilah" by Tom Higgenson. "Like A Star" by Corinne Bailey Rae. "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse. "Umbrella" by Shawn Carter (Jay-Z), Kuk Harrell, Terius "Dream" Nash & Christopher Stewart.

Who should win: Amy.

Who will win: Amy but I could see "Umbrella" picking this one up. It was a great song, and I didn't know Jay-Z was considered the lead writer. Wow. Color me impressed.

***

Best New Artist is absolutely no contest. Amy Winehouse wins in a cakewalk over Feist, Ledisi, Paramore and Taylor Swift. The entire proceeding is rigged if anybody else wins. I would bet my life on this category.

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Best Female Pop Performance goes to the artist.

Nominees are: "Candyman" by Christina Aguilera. "1234" by Feist. "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie. "Say It Right" by Nelly Furtado. "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse.

Who should win: Amy.

Who will win: This is a funny category because it truly is about performance, and Christina Aguilera's Andrews Sisters type of big band shtick on Candyman was really, really good. I think Christina wins this one.

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Best Male Pop Performance goes to me. Wait, it goes to the artist.

Nominees are: "Everything" by Michael Bublé. "Belief" by John Mayer. "Dance Tonight" by Paul McCartney. "Amazing" by Seal. "What Goes Around...Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake.

Who should win: JT.

Who will win: JT but watch out for Paul.

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Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals goes to established duos or groups.

Nominees are: "(You Want To) Make A Memory" by Bon Jovi. "Home" by Daughtry. "Makes Me Wonder" by Maroon 5. "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's. "Window in the Skies" by U2.

Who should win: Maroon 5.

Who will win: U2.

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Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals is for a collaborative performance by artists who don't usually perform together.

Nominees are: "Steppin' Out" by Tony Bennett & Christina Aguilera. "Beautiful Liar" by Beyoncé & Shakira. "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" by Robert Plant & Allison Krauss. "The Sweet Escape" by Gwen Stefani & Akon. "Give It To Me" by Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake.

Who should win: Plant and Krauss. That was a great song and might very well be in my Top 25 for 2008.

Who will win: Plant and Krauss.

***

Best Pop Vocal Album is for albums that feature at least 51 percent vocal tracks.

Nominees are: "Lost Highway" by Bon Jovi. "The Reminder" by Feist. "It Won't Be Soon Before Long" by Maroon 5. "Memory Almost Full" by Paul McCartney. "Back to Black" by Amy Winehouse.

Who should win: Amy.

Who will win: Amy but Sir Paul is a sleeper.

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Best Rock Song is a songwriter's award.

Nominees are: "Come On" by Lucinda Williams. "Icky Thump" by Jack White. "It's Not Over" by Chris Daughtry, Gregg Wattenberg, Mark Wilkerson and Brett (Ace) Young. "The Pretender" by Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel & Chris Shiflett. "Radio Nowhere" by Bruce Springsteen.

Who should win: "It's Not Over"

Who will win: "The Pretender"

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Best Female Country Performance is for solo vocal performances only.

Nominees are: "Simple Love" by Allison Krauss. "Famous In A Small Town" by Miranda Lambert. "Nothin' Better To Do" by LeAnn Rimes. "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood. "Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love" by Trisha Yearwood.

Who should win: Miranda Lambert who, frankly, was cheated in the Best Album category. Her "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" CD ranked among the Top 10 in critical reviews for 2007 for any genre, an extreme rarity for a country artist. I'm pulling for her big time in this category.

Who will win: Krauss.

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Best Country Song is a songwriter's award.

Nominees are: "Before He Cheats" by Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins. "Give It Away" by Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon & Jamey Johnson. "I Need You" by Tony Lane & David Lee. "If You're Reading This" by Tim McGraw, Brad Warren and Brett Warren. "Long Trip Alone" by Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley and Steve Bogard.

Who should win: "Before He Cheats"

Who will win: "Give It Away" although I'm holding out hope that Grammy voters didn't make the sentimental pick here. Bill Anderson is a beloved Nashville guy, and he won the CMA in this category.

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These are the only categories I'm familiar with and/or care about, so I'll leave it at that. In other categories, I'd note that I always pull for Muskogee boy Smokie Norful in gospel categories. In the Best Contemporary World Music Album category, Angelique Kidjo is up for "Djin Djin," and I am pulling for that one to get a Grammy. It would have been one of my Top 10 CDs of the year had I done that list.

In the Best Comedy Album category, I'm pulling for Flight of the Concords to pick up the hardware for "The Distant Future."

In the Best Instrumental Composition category, I'm pulling for the imcomparable Philip Glass to win for "I Knew Her (From Notes On A Scandal)." Not only is his movie work brilliant, that was the best movie I saw last year -- the Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett film, "Notes On A Scandal."

Believe it or not, the late, great Maynard Ferguson is up indirectly for "Besame Mucho," arranged by Steve Wiest. However, this is an arranger's award, and -- besides -- Maynard is dead. Sorry to be Debbie Downer there.