CHILI PEPPERS AND JAMES BLUNT REHEARSE GRAMMY CONFIDENCE

Both Red Hot Chili Peppers and James Blunt were cautiously confident at rehearsals for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.

At this year’s Grammy Awards, Red Hot Chili Peppers have been nominated for six awards, including the presigious Album Of The Year for their ambitious double CD collection Stadium Arcadium. James Blunt picked up five award nominations, including Record Of The Year for “You’re Beautiful.” The two worked out their music for the telecast at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith can come home a winner even if the band loses all six. Smith does admit though that Anthony Keidis and company have history on their side.

“It’s like a seven year itch. We’ve won a Grammy every seven years. ’93, 2000, and now 2007, so it’s time for us to win another Grammy. The Dixie Chicks, I played on their record. I drummed on a Dixie Chicks record, so if they win my band will be really mad at me. They’ll be upset. I’m also playing with the Dixie Chicks on the show as well, so….right after The Police — which I’m very excited about. I’m sure everyone is, and then the Dixie Chicks are playing their song.”

James Blunt, who was a last minute add, talked about what he had to do to get the gig, and the benefits and drawbacks of five award nominations.

“The most important thing about being nominated five times rather than one once is that it means that I have to rehearse my ‘I’m happy for someone else to win’ face. So I hope I’ve got that down to a T. Um, I just wasn’t sleeping with the right people early on. That’s why it wasn’t announced that I was performing, and then when I eventually slept with the right person, yeah, I was in the frame and away we went.”

James Blunt is up against songs by Mary J. Blige, Dixie Chicks, Gnarls Barkley, and Corinne Bailey Rae for Record Of The Year. The Chili Peppers are up against Dixie Chicks, Gnarls Barkley, John Mayer, and Justin Timberlake. For a complete list of nominees check out grammy.com. The 49th Annual Grammy Awards airs Sunday at 8pm Eastern and Pacific time on CBS-TV.