Singer Adele accepts her award for "Best Pop Solo Performace" for "Someone Like You" at the 54th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, February 12, 2012.[Photo/Agencies]

British soul singer Adele won three early Grammys on Sunday, including best pop solo performance for her song "Somebody Like You," in a show that began on a somber note with a prayer for late pop superstar Whitney Houston.

Adele, whose album "21" was among the smash hits of 2011, took the stage and thanked her doctors who helped her recover from recent surgery to remove a polyp from her vocal cord. "Seeing as it's a vocal performance I need to thank my doctors, I suppose, who brought my voice back," she said.

Aside from surgery, the British singer has enjoyed a stellar year. Her sophomore album "21" has sold more than 6.3 million copies in the U.S. and broken many sales records, including spending 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.

She has thrilled fans singing about personal heartbreak in a raw, soulful manner in singles including "Rolling in the Deep," "Somebody Like You" and "Set Fire to the Rain."

Rockers Foo Fighters were the other big winners early in the show, picking up four Grammys in rock music categories and a fifth for best long form music video. Their hit "Walk" earned them best rock performance.

"This is a great honor because this record was a special record for our band. Rather than go to the best studio ... we made this one in my garage with some microphones and a tape machine," said frontman Dave Grohl. "It shows that the human element of making music is what's most important."

But as jubilant as the audiences was for Adele - they gave her a standing ovation - and as much as Foo Fighters rocked the house, the Grammys audience was equally somber about the death of Houston on Saturday in a Beverly Hills hotel room.

Host LL Cool J took the stage and offered a prayer for Houston, her fans and her family. "Although she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed by her musical spirit," he said.

Organizers played a video of Houston performing her hit "I Will Always Love You" from a previous Grammy show. Later, actress an4d singer Jennifer Hudson, who won an Oscar for her role in movie musical "Dreamgirls," is expected to perform the same song in a tribute to the singer.

Other early winners included Jay-Z and Kanye West for best rap performance with their song, "Otis" from the album "Watch the Throne," but they failed to show up to claim their prize.

Rousing performances came from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Chris Brown, Coldplay and Rihanna, Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, and Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt sang a duet of "A Sunday Kind of Love" from Etta James, who also died in 2012.

Grammy organizers give out awards in more than 75 categories and many early winners mentioned Houston. Singer Melanie Fiona, who won with Cee Lo Green for traditional R&B performance for "Fool For You," said she was inspired by Houston.

"Whitney Houston, I would not be standing up here if not for you," Fiona said. Backstage, she told reporters her mother had rocked her in the cradle to Houston's songs when she was a baby.

WINEHOUSE IN THE HOUSE

Perhaps the most poignant moment came when Mitch and Janis Winehouse, parents of late singer Amy Winehouse who died of excessive drinking in 2011, accepted the award for best pop duo or group performance - Amy and Tony Bennett - "Body and Soul."

"Long live Whitney Houston. Long live Amy Winehouse and long live Etta James," referring to the "At Last" singer who died earlier this year. "There's a beautiful girl band up there."

Country singer Taylor Swift picked up two awards for her song "Mean," about people she felt had wronged her, and DJ Skrillex won two Grammys for best dance recording and top dance/electronica album with "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites."

British soul singer Adele, who received six nominations and was expected to be a big winner, claimed her second Grammy for best pop vocal album with "21," and earned a third Grammy for best short form music video with the song, "Rolling in the Deep."

All eyes will be on Adele in top categories such as best album and record of the year. She will perform in front of a live audience for the first time since vocal cord surgery in November 2011. Fans will be listening to hear if her voice is back to its sultry, soulful best.

Rapper Kanye West earned seven nominations, but was shut out of the top categories, paving the way for Adele to be the night's big winner - or surprise loser if she fails to overcome competition. Along with his rap performance trophy, West won a second award for best rap album with "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy."

In the category of best album, Adele's "21" faces rockers Foo Fighters and their hit "Wasting Light," Lady Gaga with "Born This Way," Bruno Mars and his "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," and pop star Rihanna with "Loud."

Adele also figures prominently among nominees for record of the year where "Rolling in the Deep" squares off against rockers Bon Iver and "Holocene," Bruno Mars for "Grenade," Mumford & Sons with "The Cave," and Katy Perry for "Firework."