LL Cool J will host the 54th Annual Grammy Awards taking place tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Diana Ross will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award and performances include: Rihanna, Tony Bennett, Carrie Underwood, Chris Brown, Adele and more.

To honor Grammy-Award winning singer Whitney Houston, who died yesterday, Jennifer Hudson is expected to sing a medley of her hits. Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt will  pay tribute to Etta James.

Kanye West has seven nominations, topping Adele, Bruno Mars and Foo Fighters who each have six. Lil Wayne and Skrillex follow with five nominations.

8:00 p.m. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band open the show. Bruce asks: “America, are you alive out there?”

8:04 p.m. LL Cool J, host of this year’s Grammy Awards, begins the show by addressing Whitney Houston’s death and saying a prayer.

8:07 p.m. A clip of Whitney Houston singing her hit song “I Will Always Love You” is played.

8:11 p.m. Bruno Mars performs in the style of James Brown.

8:20 p.m. Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt sing “A Sunday Kind of Love” in tribute to Etta James.

Adele accepts her first Grammy of the night

8:24 p.m. The first award of the night for Best Pop Solo Performance goes to Adele for “Someone Like You.”

8:25 p.m. Chris Brown takes the stage performing “Turn Up the Music” and “Beautiful People.”

8:36 p.m. Fergie  and Marc Anthony announce Jay-Z and Kanye West as the winners of the Best Rap Performance category for their song “Otis.” Both rappers are not in attendance.

8:37 p.m. Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson perform “Don’t You Wanna Stay.”

8:47 p.m. Foo Fighters perform outside the Staples Center. The group has already won four Grammys tonight.

8:56 p.m. Rihanna sings “We Found Love” then joins Coldplay to sing  ”Princess of China.” Coldplay then performs their hit song “Paradise.”

9:12 p.m. The Grammy for Best Rock Performance goes to Foo Fighters for “Walk.” Lead singer Dave Grohl said they made the record in his garage with a microphone and tape recorder.

Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine joins The Beach Boys on stage

9:16 p.m. Maroon 5 leads the celebration of the Beach Boys with “Surfer Girl.” Foster the People sings the next song “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.”

9:21 p.m. The Beach Boys reunite on their 50th anniversary and sing “Good Vibrations.” Maroon 5 and Foster the People join for the second half of the song.

9:30 p.m. This year’s Trustees Awards were given to Dave  Bartholomew, Steve Jobs and Rudy Van Gelder.

9:31 p.m. Stevie Wonder receives a standing ovation as he comes out to announce the next performer. Plays harmonica and sings as he introduces Paul McCartney.

9:32 p.m. Paul McCartney sings “My Valentine” sitting on a stool with an orchestra playing behind him.

9:36 p.m. Common and Taraji P. Henson honor the deceased Gil Scott-Heron and present the Grammy for Best R&B Album to Chris Brown.

9:38 p.m. The Civil Wars come out and say “We would like to thank all of our opening acts.” Jokes!

Taylor Swift plays the banjo while performing "Mean"

9:40 p.m. Taylor Swift embraces her country side while performing “Mean.” She plays a banjo and dresses like she is in “Little House on the Prairie.”

9:50 p.m. Neil Patrick Harris presents the Grammy for Best Song of the Year to Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth for “Rolling in Deep.” That was definitely one award most will agree on.

9:52 p.m. Katy Perry performs “E.T.” and dresses like a superhero for “Part of Me.”

9:57 p.m. Best Country Album is awarded to Lady Antebellum for “Own the Night.”

10:05 p.m. Adele begins her much anticipated performance singing “Rolling in the Deep.” So effortless and beautiful. We are all glad her voice is back. The show allows time for the standing ovation to go uninterrupted.

10:16 p.m. Taylor Swift announces the Glen Campbell tribute with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton.

10:21 p.m. Glen Campbell takes the stage singing “Rhinestone Cowboy.”

10:24 p.m. Glen Campbell is one of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. Other recipients include: Allman Brothers Band, Antonio Carlos Jobim, The Memphis Horns, George Jones and Diana Ross.

10:30 p.m. Carrie Underwood asks Tony Bennett to join her on stage to sing the duet “It Had To Be You.”

10:33 p.m.  The Grammy for Best New Artist goes to Bon Iver. He is so tall! The mic is definitely too low for him.

10:38 p.m. In Memorium video tribute honors those lost this past year including: Amy Winehouse, Nick Ashford, Steve Jobs, Heavy D, Johnny Otis, Marv Tarplin, Whitney Houston and many more.

Jennifer Hudson sings "I Will Always Love You" without crying

10:42 p.m. Jennifer Hudson sings “I Will Always Love You” in tribute to Whitney Houston. Such a sentimental performance. She ends with “Whitney, we love you.”

10:50 p.m.  Salute to today’s dance music takes place outside the Staples Center at L.A. Live with Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, David Guetta, Deadmau5 and Foo Fighters.

11:04 p.m. Drake introduces Nicki Minaj and calls her “intelligent, beautiful and driven.” Nicki titles her performance “The Exorcism of the Roman” and begins with a video parody of “The Exorcist.” She truly puts on a show while singing her song “Roman Holiday.”

11:10 p.m. Lady Antebellum presents the Grammy for Record of the Year to Adele for “Rolling in the Deep.” No surprise there!

11:18 p.m. Diana Ross joins LL Cool J to announce Album of the Year. The Grammy goes to Adele for “21.” She cries as she gives her thank you speech. Said the album was inspired by a “rubbish relationship.” Adele really cleaned up tonight but her wins were certainly well deserved.

11:23 p.m. Paul McCartney closes out the show with “Carry that Weight” and “The Love We Make.”

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Sometimes fate has it’s hand in life, and it certainly has it’s hand in Jennifer Hudson’s life.  Three years ago, the songstress had a stroke of luck when she visited her fiancé, David Otunga.

Hudson recently said she was supposed to be in Chicago with her mother, brother and nephew on the day they were murdered in 2008, according to New York Daily News.  Instead, the singer boarded a plane to Florida to watch her future husband fight in a World Wrestling Entertainment match.

“He wanted me to come out to Florida with him instead of going to Chicago. I flew out to see him; that’s why I’m still here,” Hudson, 30, says in the December/January issue of Ebony, according to the Daily News. “That’s one of the things that saved my life. Because I could have been home with my mum then.”

Hudson has previously kept quiet about the tragic event, and was reportedly surprised she revealed this new detail.

“I’ve never said that before, and I can’t believe I just said that now,” she continued, according to the Daily News. “But I didn’t know. He was just like, ‘I’m going to this wrestling thing, and it’s in Tampa. I’m going out there now, so you can come out there and see me versus going home.’ “

Britney Spears’ latest album “Femme Fatale” debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, which is considered as her sixth #1 album, with 276,000 copies sold.

Wiz Khalifa’s “Rolling Papers” got the #2 spot of the week, with 197,000 units sold. Also, Adele’s “21” got the #3 position.

The rest is as follows,

#4: Chris Brown, “F.A.M.E.”

#5: Various Artists, “Songs For Japan”

#6: Radiohead “The King of Limbs”

#7: Jennifer Hudson “I Remember Me”

#8: Snoop Dogg “Doggumentary”

#9: Kirk Franklin “Hello Fear”

#10: Mary Mary “Something Big”

Mila Kunis looked gorgeous in this Elie Saab gown (Media Credit/Mazur, WireImage)

As awards season comes to a close, I was prepared last night with popcorn in one hand and my picks for the office Oscar pool in the other. Next to winning the pool, the best part of the awards show is the red carpet fashion, for better or for worse.

Looks I love

Mila Kunis wore a beautiful light lavender dress with a plunging neckline and lace detailing by the Elie Saab Spring 2011 Collection. Jennifer Lawrence was the first on the red carpet and set everyone up for great fashion choices throughout the evening. Her red, fitted Calvin Klein dress showed off her amazing figure. I was impressed with and am obsessed with Giuliana Rancic’s bold print, dramatic gown that was designed by none other than “Project Runway” winner Christian Siriano. Wearing a maroon, backless, lace Dolce & Gabbana gown, Scarlett Johansson made quite the impression on the red carpet.

Notable looks

These fashion icons are getting mixed fashion reviews around the globe. All of the dresses are fabulous, but their stylists could have done a little more to make these looks really work. Gwyneth Paltrow wore a modern silver metallic Calvin Klein gown. The dress is gorgeous, but the shiny color would have been more age appropriate for a younger starlet. Halle Berry looked amazing, as usual, in a nude, jewel-encrusted Marchesa gown, but this dress would have popped more against her skin if it were a different color. Cate Blanchett wore a unique lilac and mustard colored piece by Givenchy. I appreciate Cate’s choice for something different, but the jury is still out as to whether the front of the dress was a bib made for my four-year-old cousin. Jennifer Hudson’s dress last night was the best PR move Weight Watchers could ever have. She looked absolutely breathtaking (and thinner than ever) in Versace, but she could have used a little more coverage in the cleavage area.

Marisa Tomei's gown was a prom nightmare (Media Credit/A. Rodriguez, WireImage)

They could’ve done better

Nicole Kidman’s Christian Dior gown from the Spring 2009 Collection was too structured, too white, too detailed, too much! Reese Witherspoon always looks beautiful, but her black and white Armani Prive gown and Barbie-inspired high ponytail may not have been her best choice; we all know she can do better. Marisa Tomei’s prom nightmare, a vintage gown by Charles James, should have stayed in the closet. Not only was the dress ill-fitting, but the color was far from flattering and the poofy taffeta bottom was, well, taffeta. After all of the build-up, I found the awards show less than exciting, and some of the fashion followed suit, including Amy Adams’ deep navy gown (again). Even with seven costume changes, Anne Hathaway’s surprise singing was more of a standout than her fashion picks.

Best accessories

I can’t possibly write about the Oscars without noting Natalie Portman. She looked amazing last night  in a Rodarte violet silk chiffon dress. She again chose to wear stunning accessories from Tiffany & Co., which turned out to be quite the good luck charm! Speaking of hot mamas, the hottest accessory for a man to have last night was undoubtedly his mother. Russell Brand opted for the non-traditional dark blue suit with his mother by his side (wife Katy Perry was on her world tour). Mama Timberlake by son Justin’s side has this girl dreaming that Justin’s relationship with Jessica Biel will soon be over. He looked amazing in his Tom Ford tailored tuxedo; so ladies, if you need a date to next year’s Oscars, maybe he’s your ticket — fingers crossed. Until next awards season!

Many celebrities, including Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Ryan Seacrest, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Elijah Wood, Serena Williams, Janelle Monae and Swizz Beatz are getting ready for a new campaign called “Digital Life Sacrifice,” which will benefit Alicia Keys’ AIDS charity, “Keep a Child Alive.” The charity organization was started in 2003 in order to support people in Africa and India who are affected by HIV/AIDS.

This is how this works. They will sign off social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter starting Wednesday, which is World AIDS Day. And, they will not come back until the charity campaign raises $1 million.

Alicia Keys told the Associated Press, “It’s really important and super-cool to use mediums that we naturally are on.”

The compilation album featuring musical performances from last Friday’s Hope For Haiti Now telethon debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. The album sold 171,000 units and currently sits atop the iTunes top albums charts as well. "Hope For Haiti Now" also holds the honor of being the first digitally-exclusive album to be top of the charts. The charity album (artists donate their share in the proceeds to relief organizations) features twenty songs by artists such as Sting, Jennifer Hudson, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Beyonce. Three of these singles have already cracked the iTunes top twenty, "Hallelujah" by Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris (2), "Lean On Me" by Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, and Keith Urban (12), and "Breathless" by Taylor Swift (19).

"Hope For Haiti Now" racked up these impressive sales numbers after only being available for pre-order beginning last Thursday and furthermore was the "biggest one-day album pre-order in iTunes history" according to MTV.com. The album proceeds benefit the following organizations: Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Red Cross, UNICEF, United Nations World Food Programme, Yele Haiti Foundation, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Foundation.

The body Chicago police found dead inside an SUV this morning was confirmed as Jennifer Hudson’s nephew who has been missing since Friday, a top FBI official said.

Seven-year-old Julian King was discovered with a gunshot wound to his head inside a white Chevrolet Suburban on the city’s West Side, CBS2 Chicago is reporting.

The white Chevrolet Suburban was taken away by investigators, and a medical examiner identified the body inside as King this afternoon.

Over the weekend, Hudson offered a $100,000 reward for the safe return of her nephew.

“Please keep praying for our family and that we get Julian King back home safely,” Hudson said in a posting on her MySpace page Sunday. “If anyone has any information about his whereabouts please contact the authorities immediately.”

Hudson also posted two pictures of her nephew wearing the brown-and-orange striped polo shirt he was wearing when he was last seen, CNN reported.

William Balfour, Hudson’s sister’s estranged husband and father of King, was arrested Friday as the main suspect in the deaths. Balfour’s mother claims Balfour is innocent of his son’s death, CNN reported.

An Amber Alert was issued Friday naming Balfour as a suspect in the double homicide. He has not been charged yet, law enforcement sources told the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times.

A family member found the bodies at the Donerson’s home Friday afternoon. Donerson was found shot in the living room while Jason Hudson was found in the bedroom, police said.

Authorities described the shooting as domestic violence and said at least one of the victims suffered defensive wounds, Yahoo! News reported.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office has said autopsies for Donerson and Jason Hudson were pending as of Saturday.

Records from the Illinois Department of Corrections show Balfour, 27, is on parole and spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle, Yahoo! News reported. Public records show one of Balfour’s addresses as the home where Donerson and Jason Hudson were shot.

Jennifer Hudson won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in “Dreamgirls” and her self-titled debut album is a top seller. She was featured in this year’s “Sex and the City” movie and is also starring in “The Secret Life of Bees” which is in theaters now.

In an interview last year with Vogue, Hudson credited her mother with encouraging her to audition for “American Idol” which launched her career.

Authorities are still searching for singer/actress Jennifer Hudson’s nephew, who has been missing since Hudson’s mother and brother were shot to death in their Chicago home Friday afternoon.

William Balfour, Hudson’s sister’s estranged husband, was arrested Friday as the main suspect in the deaths, but seven-year-old Julian King has not been seen since the bodies of Darnell Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, were found Friday afternoon.

An Amber Alert was issued Friday naming Balfour as a suspect in the double homicide. He has not been charged yet, law enforcement sources told the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times.

A family member found the bodies at the Donerson’s home Friday afternoon. Donerson was found shot in the living room while Jason Hudson was found in the bedroom, police said.

Authorities described the shooting as domestic violence and said at least one of the victims suffered defensive wounds, Yahoo! News reported.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office has said autopsies for Donerson and Jason Hudson were pending.

Records from the Illinois Department of Corrections show Balfour, 27, is on parole and spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle, Yahoo! News reported. Public records show one of Balfour’s addresses as the home where Donerson and Jason Hudson were shot.

Jennifer Hudson won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in “Dreamgirls,” and her self-titled debut album is a top seller. She was featured in this year’s “Sex and the City” movie and is also starring in “The Secret Life of Bees,” which is in theaters now.

In an interview last year with Vogue, Hudson credited her mother with encouraging her to audition for “American Idol,” which launched her career.