Which artist won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2008 with River: The Joni Letters?

Herbie Hancock won Album of the Year at the 2008 Grammy Awards with River: The Joni Letters.

The album is a jazz tribute to Joni Mitchell. Hancock reinterpreted Mitchell’s songs with guest vocalists including Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza, and Leonard Cohen. The project connected modern jazz improvisation with Mitchell’s sophisticated songwriting catalog.

River: The Joni Letters was only the second jazz album to win Album of the Year. The first was Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz and João Gilberto at the 1965 Grammy Awards. Hancock’s victory was therefore a notable result in a category often dominated by pop, rock, country, and R&B releases.

The album won over several widely discussed nominees, including Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and Kanye West’s Graduation. The ceremony also gave Winehouse five awards, but Hancock received the night’s top album honor.