LaFourcade, Guerra big winners at Latin Grammys

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Natalia LaFourcade and Juan Luis Guerra were multi-award winners on a night that featured musical tributes and political signs Thursday at the 2015 Latin Grammys.

LaFourcade grabbed three early victories at the KA Theater in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with Best Alternative Music Album, Best Alternative Song and Best Engineered Album for her Hasta la Raiz (Down to the Roots) album. LaFourcade co-wrote the song "Hasta la raíz," with Leonel García. She would wrap up the evening with Record of the Year.

"I want to dedicate this song to Mexico, to our roots and our origins," said LaFourcade in her Best Alternative Song speech. "This is the album I've most enjoyed doing. We weren't in a rush."

Guerra, a veteran merengue star, picked up two big awards early for Best Contemporary Tropical Album, for Todo Tiene Su Hora, and Best Tropical Song for "Tus besos."

Another veteran, Ruben Blades, along with Roberto Delgado & Orchestra, won for Best Salsa Album for the independently produced and released Son de Panamá.

Colombian trio Chocquibtown won for Best Tropical Fusion Album for El Mismo and talked about their poor state of Chocó in accepting the award.

"We come from a very small place," said band member Tostao. "We work very hard to make our dreams come true."

Alex Cuba took home the award for Best Singer/Songwriter Album for Healer and dedicated the award with tear-filled eyes to his wife, for whom the album's song "Sara" is named after.

Sebatian Krys, Producer of the Year winner, dedicated the award to Latin producer, engineer and songwriter Balta Hinojosa, who died of leukemia in 2014.

"We are all very fortunate to be here, doing what we do," Krys said.

The political moment of the night happened when Mexican rock band Maná and norteño icons Los Tigres del Norte joined forces for "Somos Más Americanos" ("We Are More American"). At the end of the song the bands held up a sign that read: "Latinos unidos no voten por los racistas" — "Latinos united, don't vote for racists" to rousing cheers from the audience.

"We wanted to send a proactive message," said Maná lead singer Fher Olvera. "Register, go out and vote, and vote for the candidate that will do positive things for Latinos."

Maná drummer Alex González added, "It's a privilege to vote," he said. "In the United States, your vote counts. So Latinos need to vote for the candidate that will promote opportunities for Latinos, a candidate who will push for immigration reform, and fight for all the Latinos who work so hard."

The full list of winners:

Record of the Year "Hasta La Raíz" - Natalia Lafourcade

Album of the Year Todo Tiene Su Hora - Juan Luis Guerra 4.40

Song of the Year "Hasta La Raíz" - Leonel Garcia & Natalia Lafourcade, songwriters (Natalia Lafourcade)

Best New Artist Monsieur Periné

Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album Sirope - Alejandro Sanz

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Necesito Un Bolero - Gilberto Santa Rosa

Best Urban Performance "El Perdón" - Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias

Best Urban Music Album El Que Sabe, Sabe - Tego Calderón

Best Urban Song "Ay Vamos" - J Balvin, Rene Cano, Alejandro "Mosty" Patiño & Alejandro "Sky" Ramírez, songwriters (J Balvin)

Best Rock Album B - Diamante Eléctrico

Best Pop/Rock Album Cama Incendiada - Maná

Best Rock Song "Esclavo De Tu Amor" - Cachorro López & Vicentico, songwriters (Vicentico)

Best Alternative Music Album Hasta La Raíz - Natalia Lafourcade

Best Alternative Song "Hasta La Raíz" - Leonel García & Natalia Lafourcade, songwriters (Natalia Lafourcade)

Best Salsa Album Son De Panamá - Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

Best Cumbia/Vallenato Album Sencillamente - Jorge Celedón & Gustavo García

Best Contemporary Tropical Album Todo Tiene Su Hora - Juan Luis Guerra 4.40

Best Traditional Tropical Album Tributo A Los Compadres No Quiero Llanto - José Alberto "El Canario" & Septeto Santiaguero

Best Tropical Fusion Album El Mismo - ChocQuibTown

Best Tropical Song "Tus Besos" - Juan Luis Guerra, songwriter (Juan Luis Guerra 4.40)

Best Singer-Songwriter Album Healer - Alex Cuba

Best Ranchero Album Acaríciame El Corazón - Pedro Fernández

Best Banda Album Mi Vicio Mas Grande - Banda El Recodo De Don Cruz Lizarraga

Best Tejano Album Sentimientos - Sólido

Best Norteno Album Abrázame - Pesado

Best Regional Mexican Song "Todo Tuyo" - Mauricio Arriaga, Edgar Barrera & Eduardo Murguía, songwriters (Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga)

Best Instrumental Album Dr. Ed Calle Presents Mamblue - Ed Calle & Mamblue

Best Folk Album Balas y Chocolate - Lila Downs

Best Tango Album Homenaje A Astor Piazzolla - Orquesta Del Tango De Buenos Aires

Best Flamenco Album Entre 20 Aguas: A La Música De Paco De Lucía - (Varios Artistas)

Best Latin Jazz Album Jazz Meets The Classics - Paquito D'Rivera

Best Christian Album (Spanish Language) Derroche De Amor - Alex Campos

Best Christian Album (Portuguese Language) Da Eternidade - Fernanda Brum

Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album Dancê - Tulipa Ruiz

Best Brazilian Rock Album Sol-Te - Suricato

Best Samba/Pagode Album Só Felicidade - Fundo de Quintal

Best MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) Album América, Brasil - Ivan Lins

Best Sertaneja Music Album Amizade Sincera II - Renato Teixeira & Sérgio Reis

Best Brazilian Song "Bossa Negra" - Hamilton de Holanda, Diogo Nogueira & Marcos Portinari, songwriters (Diogo Nogueira & Hamilton de Holanda)

Best Latin Children's Album Los Animales - Mister G

Best Classical Album (Tie) Alma Brasileira - Débora Halász, Franz Halász & Radamés Gnattali; Marcelo Amaral, Debora Halász & Johannes Müller, producers and Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 - Montero: Ex Patria, Op. 1 & Improvisations - Gabriela Montero; Jonathan Allen, album producer

Best Classical Contemporary Composition "Capriccio" - Carlos Franzetti, composer (Allison Brewster Franzetti)

Best Recording Package Este Instante - Natalia Ayala, Carlos Dussan Gómez & Juliana Jaramillo, art directors (Marta Gómez)

Best Engineered Album Hasta La Raíz - Andrés Borda, Eduardo Del Águila, Demián Nava, Alan Ortiz Grande, Alan Saucedo & Sebastián Schunt, engineers; Eduardo Del Águila & Cesar Sogbe, mixers; José Blanco, mastering engineer (Natalia Lafourcade)

Producer of the Year Sebastian Krys

Best Short Form Music Video "Ojos Color Sol" - Calle 13 Featuring Silvio Rodríguez

Best Long Form Music Video "Loco De Amor 'La Historia'" - Juanes