Dixie Chicks win album of the year Grammy

LOS ANGELES, Feb 12 (Reuters) The Dixie Chicks won the coveted album of the year Grammy for ''Taking the Long Way,'' giving the country music trio a clean sweep in all its five categories.

''Taking the Long Way'' was the Texas group's first album since singer Natalie Maines told fans in 2003 that she was ashamed to come from the same state as President George W Bush. The off-the-cuff comment transformed the Dixie Chicks overnight from Nashville darlings to country music pariahs.

''Long Way'' was the ninth-biggest album in the United States last year, according to tracking firm Nielsen SoundScan, but sales of 1.9 million copies to date were relatively disappointing compared to previous releases.

The Dixie Chicks earlier won statuettes for record and song of the year, best country album and country performance by a duo or group with vocal.

The other album of the year nominees were rock crooner John Mayer, rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers, soul-pop duo Gnarls Barkley and pop singer Justin Timberlake.

The 49th annual Grammy Awards, the music industry's highest honors, were handed out at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

REUTERS PDM PM1017