Exclusive: Rihanna to Open 2010 American Music Awards

Rihanna will be the opening performer at the 2010 American Music Awards on November 21, where she'll join a roster of previously announced performers including Diddy, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Usher, Ne-Yo, and Bon Jovi. Dick Clark Productions confirmed the news Friday morning to Rolling Stone.

Speculation is that she will debut a new song at the AMAs; she will have just released her new album Loud, on November 16.

Photos: Rihanna's Fierce Fashions: The Pop Sensation's Famous Looks

For the fourth year, winners will be determined by online voting at the official Coca-Cola voting location www.amavote.com as well as ama.abc.com. Artists will be honored in the categories of Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin, Soundtracks and Contemporary Inspirational.

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Song Stories

“All Along the Watchtower”

The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1968

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."

More Song Stories entries »

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