The Pointer Sisters win two Grammys 1985

 

My girls, the Pointer Sisters, won two Grammy Awards at the annual ceremony held February 26, 1985. Their song Automatic won Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices, arrangements by Ruth, June, and Anita.  Jump (For My Love) won Best Pop Performance for a Duo or Group with Vocal.  Their album Breakout should have won more Grammys in my opinion.  

This was a time when music was awesome!

Tina Turner won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for What's Love Got To Do With It.

Cyndi Lauper received the Grammy for Best New Artist.

"Weird Al" Yankovich won Best Comedy Recording for Eat It.

John Williams tied for Best Instrumental Composition for Olympic Fanfare and Theme the official music of the XXIII Olympiad.

The Judds won their first Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for Mama, He's Crazy.

Donna Summer won Best Inspirational Performance for Forgive Me.

Ray Parker, Jr. won Best Pop Instrumental Performance for the instrumental version of Ghostbusters.

The Pointer Sisters' "Automatic"

Sting and Steely Dan win Grammys 2001

 

Sting won his 16th Grammy Award and Steely Dan won their very first at the annual ceremony held February 21, 2001. 

Sting won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his song She Walks the Earth.

Steely Dan won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Two Against Nature. The album was awaarded Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.  They also won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for Cousin Dupree.  

John Williams won Best Instrumental Composition for The Theme from Angela's Ashes.

The Foo Fighters won Best Short Form Music Video for Learn to Fly. They also won Best Rock Album for There is Nothing Left to Lose. 

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Yo-Yo Ma, musician extraordinaire

Yo-Yo Ma, born October 7, 1955 in Paris, France to Chinese parents, is a renowned solo cellist who has performed with orchestras around the world.  He has recorded over 90 albums and has won 19 Grammy Awards. 

He began playing cello at age four with his father.  He was seven years old when he and his parents moved to Boston and then New York City.  He continued to study at Julliard School before transferring to Harvard University for a liberal arts education. 

He has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2006.  Ma has received the National Medal of Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Kennedy Center Honors.

Celebrating Black History Month: Stevie Wonder, youngest artist with a #1 hit

Stevie Wonder, born May 13, 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan, landed a #1 single, Fingertips, on the Billboard Hot 100 when he was only 13, making him the youngest solo artist ever to top the charts. Fingertips simultaneously reached #1 on the R&B charts, the first time for that to occur. 

He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, influencing musicians across all genres of music from R&B, pop, gospel, and jazz.  He has won 25 Grammy Awards, and is only one of four artists and groups to have won the Grammy for Album of the Year three times.  He is the only one to have one that award with three consecutive  album releases: Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale, and Songs in the Key of Life.

24th Annual Grammy Awards 1982

The Grammy Awards held their 24th annual ceremony February 24, 1982, and showcased the best in music, and what a celebration.  Of course, this was my decade of music (also the 70s), so many of my favorites took home awards.   Some of the best music ever!

Kim Carnes won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for her cover of Bette Davis Eyes.

My girls, the Pointer Sisters presented Best New Artist to Sheena Easton.

John Williams won Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special for his composition of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Dolly Parton's song 9 to 5 won Best Country Vocal Performance, Female and Best Country Song.

The Oak Ridge Boys won Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for their song Elvira.

Ella Fitzgerald won Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female for her Digital III at Montreux.

The Manhattan Transfer won Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group for Until I Met You (Corner Pocket).  They also won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with vocal for their The Boy from New York City.

Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr. won Best Rhythm & Blues Song for Just the Two of Us.

Pat Benatar won Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female for Fire and Ice.

The Police won two Grammys: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for Don't Stand So Close To Me.  Best Rock Instrumental Performance for Behind My Camel.

Quincy Jones won a total of five Grammys: Best Instrumental Arrangement;  Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for Ai No Corrida; Best Cast Show Album; Producer of the Year; Best R&B Performance by a Due or Group with Vocal.

Music doesn't get much better than this.

Janet Jackson, Young MC win Grammys 1990

Janet Jackson's multiple award-winning album Rhythm Nation 1814 continued to garner more honors at the 32nd annual Grammy ceremony held February 21, 1990.  She took home the Grammy for Best Music Video, Long Form, with Aris McGarry (video producer), Johnathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (video producers and directors), and Dominic Sena (video director)

Young MC won Best Rap Performance for his Bust a Move. From this point on, the category was split into Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.  These two were combined again in 2012 and reinstated as the Award for Best Rap Performance.  

Peter Schickele won Best Comedy Recording for his P.D.Q. Bach: 1712 Overture and Other Musical Assaults.  

Nat King Cole and Paul McCartney were each awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire was nominated for Record of the Year, but lost to Bette Midler's Wind Beneath My Wings.

"The Little Mermaid" wins two Grammy Awards 1991

Composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman took home two Grammy Awards for their music for Disney's The Little Mermaid at the 33rd annual ceremony, held February 20, 1991.

They won for Best Recording For Children for the soundtrack, and they won Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television for Under the Sea.

June Pointer honored, Madonna wins Grammy 2007

Madonna took home the Grammy for the Best Electronic/Dance Album Grammy for her Confessions on a Dance Floor album at the 49th annual ceremony held February 11, 2007.  She also received a nomination for Best Dance Recording for her single Get Together.

Gnarls Barkley won two Grammys. One for Best Alternative Music Album for his St. Elsewhere album. His single Crazy won Best Urban/Alternative Performance.   St. Elsewhere was nominated for Album of the Year and Crazy was nominated for Record of the Year.

Bon Jovi won Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for their duet Who Says You Can't Go Home with Jennifer Nettles.

In the memoriam, June Pointer who passed away in April 2006 was one of the musicians remembered. 

Maroon 5 and "Ratatouille" win Grammys 2008

Maroon 5, which had three Grammy nominations, won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for their single, Makes Me Wonder at the 50th annual ceremony held February 10, 2008. Their album It Won't Be Soon Before Long was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album.  The album's producer Mike Elizondo was nominated for Producer of the Year, Non Classical.

Pixar Animation's Ratatouille won Best Score Soundtrack Album for composer Michael Giacchino.  It was his third nomination and first Grammy win.

Christina Aguilera's single Candyman was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, but lost to Amy Winehouse.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Eddie Palmieri, winner of first Grammy for Latin music

Eddie Palmieri at the piano

Eddie Palmieri, born December 15, 1936 in New York City, is a Latin-American musician who won the first Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording ever awarded in February 1976 for his album Sun of Latin Music.  He assembled his first band when he was 14 in 1950 and after playing in several bands, he released his first album La Perfecta in 1962.  Sun of Latin Music is his 19th album. 

In late 2005, Palmieri teamed up with Brian Lynch and recorded the CD The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project: Simpatico that included many jazz artists.  It won the Grammy for Best Latin Jazz recording in 2007.

Henry Mancini wins 5 Grammy Awards 1962

Henry Mancini won five Grammy Awards for his work on Breakfast at Tiffany's at the 4th annual ceremony, held May 29, 1962.  His composition of the soundtrack won Best Sound Track Album or Recording Score from Motion Picture or Television, and Best Performance by an Orchestra - for Other Than Dancing.  The latter award was from the Pop category?

His original song Moon River won Record of the year, Song of the Year, and Best Arrangement.

West Side Story won Best Sound Track Album or Recording of Original Cast from a Motion Picture or Television.

Ray Charles won Best Rhythm & Blues Performance for Hit the Road Jack.

Happy birthday, diva and singer extraordinaire Patti LaBelle!

The lovely and talented Patti LaBelle, born Patricia Louise Holte May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is known as the Godmother of Soul. She started her singing career in the 60s as Pattie LaBelle and the Bluebelles.  In the 70s, the group changed their name to LaBelle and recorded Lady Marmalade.  Pattie went solo the next year and became a huge success, selling more than 50M records. 

 She won a Grammy in 1992 for Best R&B Vocal Performance Female and one in 1999 for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.  She's been nominated eleven more times, including one for When You Talk About Love. (I demand a recount).

She began acting in the 1980s as well as recording music and has been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.

We got to see her here in Melbourne, Florida back in November and she is so awesome in concert!

The Police release "Every Breath You Take" 1983

The Police released their huge-selling Every Breath You Take May 20, 1983.  It was the biggest single in the US and Canada in 1983, and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks, The Police's only #1 on that chart.

It won three Grammy Awards at the 26th ceremony, winning Song of the Year, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Groups with Vocals, and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

In 1999, BMI listed it as one of the Top 100 songs of the century. Rolling Stone magazine listed it as #84 in the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and #25 on the Billboard's Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs.

5th Grammy Awards held 1963

May 15, 1963 was a busy day.  Not only was Gordon Cooper launched in Faith 7 on the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission, but the fifth annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held.

Tony Bennett won three awards.  Tony won Record of the Year, Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male, and Best Background Arrangement for his recording of I Left My Heart in San Francisco.

Henry Mancini won Best Instrumental Arrangement for Baby Elephant Walk, and Best Engineering Contribution - Other Than Novelty and Other Than Classical for engineer Al Schmitt for Hatari!, for which Mancini wrote the music.

Ella Fitzgerald won Best Solo Vocal Performance, Female for Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson.

Ray Charles won Best Rhythm & Blues Recording for I Can't Stop Loving You.

Alley Cat by Bent Fabric won Best Rock and Roll Recording.

The 5th Dimension's "Up, Up and Away" win 6 Grammy Awards 1968

The 5th Dimension's 1967 recording of Up, Up and Away took home 6 Grammy Awards at the 10th annual ceremony held February 29, 1968.  Producers Johnny Rivers and Marc Gordon took home Record of the Year.  Jimmy Webb, songwriter, received Song of the Year.  The 5th Dimension won Best Performance by a Vocal Group, Best Performance by a Chorus, Best Contemporary Group Performance (Vocal or Instrumental), and Best Contemporary Single. 

Boris Karloff (horror movie icon) won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children, for his work on Dr. Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Elvis Presley won Best Sacred Performance for his recording of How Great Thou Art.

The Beatles won 4 Grammys for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: Album of the Year; Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts; Best Contemporary Album; and Best Engineered Recording - Non-Classical. 

"Foggy Mountain Breakdown" wins second Grammy 32 years later 2002

Earl Scruggs received a second Grammy for his 1949 composition of Foggy Mountain Breakdown, at the 44th annual ceremony on February 27, 2002.  He first released his instrumental March 15, 1950.  It reached No. 55, and was featured as background music in the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde.  He recorded it with Lester Flatt and their performance was awarded a Grammy for Best Country Performance, Duo or Group - Vocal Or Instrumental at the 11th ceremony in 1969. 

He recorded another performance in 2001 with comedian Steve Martin on second banjo, Vince Gill on guitar, Marty Stuart in mandolin, Paul Shaffer on piano among many others.  This work won the Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance in 2002.  In 2004, it was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.

The pop group Train won two awards for their performance of Drops of Jupiter.  Paul Buckmaster won Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s).  Their song also won Best Rock Song.

Dolly Parton won Best Female Country Vocal Performance for Shine.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon won Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.

Rosemary Clooney, Count Basie, and Al Green received Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Billy Joel received MusiCares Person of the Year.

Janet Jackson received Recording Academy's Governors Award.

The Manhattan Transfer wins two Grammys for "Birdland" 1981

Manhattan Transfer's performance of Birdland received two Grammy Awards at the 23rd annual ceremony held February 25, 1981.  Janis Siegel won the award for Best Arrangement of Voices.  Manhattan Transfer won for Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental. 

John Williams also took home two awards for his composition for The Empire Strikes Back: Best Instrumental Composition and Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special. 

Pat Benatar won her first Grammy for her album Crimes of Passion.  She received the Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female.

Ella Fitzgerald won her 10th Grammy that evening.  Her album A Perfect Match won for Best Jazz Performance, Female. 

John Williams wins 3 Grammy Awards 1978

John Williams took home three Grammy Awards at the 20th annual celebration held February 23, 1978.  His composition of Star Wars soundtrack won Best Instrumental Composition for Main Title from Star Wars, Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special, and Best Pop Instrumental Performance.  He had the most wins of that evening.

The Eagles went home with two wins: Record of the Year for Hotel California and Best Arrangement for Voices for New Kid In Town. 

Fleetwood Mac won Album of the Year for Rumours.

Ella Fitzgerald wins 8th Grammy Award 1977

Ella Fitzgerald, first lady of jazz, won her eight Grammy Award at the 19th annual ceremony, held February 19, 1977. She won Best Jazz Vocal Performance for Fitzgerald and Pass...Again, the second album of four she recorded with guitarist Joe Pass.

George Benson won Record of the Year for This Masquerade.  It was in contention for Album of the Year and Song of the Year.  I recognize every other album and song nominated in these three categories, and Benson's is the only one I do not know and, after listening to it just now, have never heard it before.  I suppose his music did not get any airplay in my area back then.

Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder won Album of the Year, and Barry Manilow's I Write the Songs won Song of the Year.

Starland Vocal Band won Best New Artist, beating Brothers Johnson, Boston(!), and Wild Cherry.  Unfortunately, they are best known for their only hit, Afternoon Delight, which won Best Arrangement for Voices (duo, group or chorus).

Natalie Cole won Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for her Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady).

Helen Hayes, with Henry Fonda, James Earl Jones & Orson Welles, won the Grammy for Best Spoken Word Recording for Great American Documents.  This win made Helen Hayes become the second person to become an EGOT, someone who has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.

Grammy Hall of Fame induction 2016

The Grammys inducted twenty-six recordings into the Grammy Hall of Fame at the 58th annual ceremony held February 15, 2016.  A bunch of my favorites made it in!

The always-entertaining and lovely Andrews Sisters 1942 recording of Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (with Anyone Else but Me).

Ella Fitzgerald's and Louis Armstrong's collaboration Ella and Louis released in 1956.

The Loco-Motion's first release in 1962 by Little Eva.

Jimmy Buffett's timeless Margaritaville from 1977.

Blondie's first big hit Heart of Glass from 1978

Celebration from Kool & the Gang from 1980.

Joan Jett with the Blackhearts 1981 breakout single I Love Rock 'n' Roll.