Chris Brown, Rihanna Cast Shadow Over Grammys

Feb. 9, 2009 — -- Sunday's Grammy Awards featured an impressive lineup of performances and pairings of some of the world's greatest musicians, including the night's big winners: Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and Jennifer Hudson.

But the real story of the night didn't unfold on stage: R&B star Chris Brown, who was scheduled to perform Sunday night, instead turned himself into Los Angeles police and was charged with felony criminal threats after a reported dispute with a woman earlier in the day.

He was released after posting $50,000 bail. The case will now be sent to the district attorney's office and further charges could be filed.

The woman involved in the incident, which was reported around 12:30 a.m. Sunday, has not yet been named. According to police, Brown and the woman were in a vehicle in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles when, according to the victim, they became involved in an argument.

After stopping his car, police say, Brown and the woman got out and the argument escalated. The woman suffered "visible injuries" and identified Brown as her attacker.

The Los Angeles Police Department received a 911 call reporting the disturbance. When officers arrived they found the victim, but Brown had already left the scene.

The Los Angeles Times, citing police sources, identified the victim as singer Rihanna -- Robyn Rihanna Fenty -- a fellow R&B star and Brown's girlfriend. Rihanna also did not show up at the Grammys where she too was scheduled to perform.

Asked to comment on the reports of Rihanna's involvement in the reported altercation and her absence at the Grammys, the star's publicist told ABC News, "Rihanna is well. Thank you for concern and support."

Representatives for Brown did not immediately respond to ABC News' calls for comment.

Brown, 19, and Rihanna, 20, were reportedly all smiles at a pre-Grammy party hosted at record mogul Clive Davis' home Saturday night. The two have been dating for about a year.

Grammy Award Show's Big Winners

Grammy producers scrambled to fill the slots allotted to Brown and Rihanna. Justin Timberlake, Boyz II Men, Al Green and Keith Urban showed off their vocal talents in an ensemble performance.

Rihanna, who was supposed to perform "Live Your Life" and "Disturbia" as the show's second musical interlude, was replaced by Duane "The Rock" Johnson and an impromptu monologue.

If the recording industry's stars were disturbed by the reports of Brown and Rihanna's reported drama, they didn't show it on stage. Jennifer Hudson won best R&B album, the first award of the night, for her self-titled CD.

The Oscar winner and "American Idol" alum, whose mother, brother and nephew were killed in the fall, fought back tears as she accepted the award presented by fellow crooner Whitney Houston.

Houston, after years away from the music industry, stepped back into the action at the weekend's round of pre-Grammy parties.

Unlikely folk duo Robert Plant (of Led Zeppelin fame) and Alison Krauss swept many of the major Grammys, beating out Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" to win best record for "Please Read the Letter." They also bagged album of the year, the biggest award of the night, for "Raising Sand."

"I'd like to say I'm bewildered," Plant said, picking up best album, the night's final award. "In the old days we would have called this selling out, but I think it's a good way to spend a Sunday."

What also bewildered many: the performance by Sri Lankan singer/rapper M.I.A., who rocked the Grammys even though she was due to give birth to her first child Sunday.

On the red carpet, the pregnant singer said jokingly, "The baby is being extremely patient with me, which is really cute." Later, the 31-year-old singer joined four of rap's biggest stars -- Kanye West, Jay-Z, T.I. and Lil Wayne -- to perform "Swagga Like Us," which won the Grammy for best performance by a duo or group.

Pairings of stars old and new peppered the Grammys. Timberlake and Green started the evening's trend. The Jonas Brothers and Stevie Wonder later crooned "Superstition" together; Dave Grohl and Paul McCartney joined forces toward the end of the night over the Beatles' hit "I Saw Her Standing There."

In an attempt to seize on the theme of change ruling America since Barack Obama took over, Grammy president Neil Portnow took to the stage to implore the new president -- also a two-time Grammy winner -- to create a secretary of the arts position in his Cabinet.

If change can come to the White House, perhaps it can grace the troubled recording industry too -- but for Sunday night, reveling in the past and in some of music's most storied names seemed to be just fine of an agenda.