The 68th edition of the prestigious Grammy Awards** takes place today in Los Angeles, United States, with international broadcast coverage and high expectations surrounding the winners announced across multiple categories. Among the highlights of the evening is the presence of Nuno Bettencourt, a guitarist born in the Azores and a leading figure in international rock, who is among the award recipients in the category of Best Rock Performance for his contribution to the live recording of “Changes (Live From Villa Park / Back to the Beginning).” The project included collaboration with British artist Yungblud and other renowned musicians from the genre.

The performance, recorded at the “Back to the Beginning” concert at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on July 5 of last year, was recognized for its impact and energy, earning the award this evening—an especially meaningful moment for the Portuguese-speaking community represented at the ceremony.

Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt was born on September 20, 1966, in the parish of Santa Cruz, Praia da Vitória, on Terceira Island in the Azores (Portugal), and emigrated with his family to the United States when he was just four years old. He rose to worldwide prominence as the guitarist for the rock band Extreme, which achieved international success in the 1990s with hits such as “More Than Words.” Throughout his career, Bettencourt has been acclaimed for his technique and versatility, collaborating with numerous high-profile artists and taking part in a wide range of musical projects that have earned him recognition far beyond U.S. shores.

Translation of a news story in Portuguese by Henrique Mano, from the Luso-Americano Newspaperin NJ.

Photo from the Guitarrist’s Instagram account