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The GRAMMYs' Trailblazing Women, Part Two
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GRAMMYs
Mar 28, 2014 - 2:57 pm

By Paul Grein

Judy Garland made history at the 4th GRAMMY Awards, becoming the first woman to win in one of the "big four" categories. She achieved the feat when her classic album Judy At Carnegie Hall won Album Of The Year for 1961.

In 1990 Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli, became the first woman to receive a GRAMMY Legend Award.

In honor of Women's History Month, we're taking a look at the women who were the first to win in the current GRAMMY categories.

In part one, we looked at 26 categories, including Best Comedy Album, Best Music Video and Producer Of The Year, Classical. Today, we're going to look at the other 30 categories, including the "big four" awards, as well as The Recording Academy's Special Merit Awards.

Astrud Gilberto was the first woman to win Record Of The Year. She shared the 1964 award with Stan Getz for "The Girl From Ipanema." Carole King was the first woman to win in that category on her own. She took the 1971 award for "It's Too Late." King was also the first woman to win for Song Of The Year. She won that same year for writing "You've Got A Friend."

Bobbie Gentry was the first woman to win Best New Artist. She took the award for 1967, the year of her classic, "Ode To Billie Joe."

In 1967 Ella Fitzgerald became the first woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. Another jazz legend, Billie Holiday, was the first woman to have a recording inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. In 1976 voters saluted her 1941 classic "God Bless The Child."

In 1992 Christine M. Farnon, who was The Recording Academy's first full-time employee, became the first woman to receive a Trustees Award.

Let's conclude our look at the first women to win in every current category that has been in place for at least five years.

The fine print: The category names are as they appeared this year. In many cases, the wording has changed over the years. Except in categories that exclusively recognize behind-the-scenes contributions, the focus here is on the first female artists to win. Where the first woman to win shared the prize with a man, we also show the first woman to win on her own.

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Keely Smith shared the 1958 award (the first year the GRAMMYs were presented) with her husband Louis Prima for "That Old Black Magic." The Pointer Sisters were the first all-female group or duo to win. They took the 1984 award for "Jump (For My Love)."

Best Pop Vocal Album
Bonnie Raitt won the 1994 award (the first year it was presented) for Longing In Their Hearts.

Best Dance Recording
Donna Summer shared the 1997 award (the first year it was presented) for "Carry On," a collaboration with Giorgio Moroder. The following year, Madonna became the first woman to win her own for "Ray Of Light." (Note: Gloria Gaynor won the 1979 award for Best Disco Recording for "I Will Survive.")

Best Dance/Electronica Album
Madonna won the 2006 award for Confessions On A Dance Floor.

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Natalie Cole took the 1991 award (the first year it was presented) for "Unforgettable." The single (the category was open to singles that year) featured her late father, Nat "King" Cole.

Best Rock Song
Alanis Morissette shared the 1995 award with Glen Ballard for "You Oughta Know." The following year, Tracy Chapman became the first woman to win on her own, for "Give Me One Reason."

Best Rock Album
Alanis Morissette won the 1995 award for Jagged Little Pill.

Best Alternative Music Album
Sinéad O'Connor won the 1990 award (the first year it was presented) for I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.

Best Traditional R&B Performance
Patti LaBelle won the 1998 award (the first year it was presented) for Live! — One Night Only.

Best R&B Song
Betty Wright shared the 1975 award for co-writing her R&B hit "Where Is The Love" with Harry Wayne Casey, Willie Clarke and Richard Finch. Lauryn Hill was the first woman to win on her own. She took the 1998 award for writing her smash "Doo Wop (That Thing)."

Best R&B Album
The female trio TLC won the 1995 award for CrazySexyCool.

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
"Let Me Blow Ya Mind" by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani won the 2001 award (the first year it was presented).

Best Rap Song
Miri Ben Ari shared the 2004 award for co-writing Kanye West's "Jesus Walks" with West and Che Smith.

Best Rap Album
Lauryn Hill shared the 1996 award as a member of Fugees for their album The Score.

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
Verna Kimberly and Vera Kimberly of the Kimberlys shared the 1969 award (the first year it was presented) for "MacArthur Park," a collaboration with Waylon Jennings. Five years later, the Pointer Sisters became the first all-female group or duo to win for "Fairytale." (They were also the first all-female group or duo to win the equivalent pop award. What are the odds?)

Best Country Song
Debbie Hupp shared the 1979 award with Bob Morrison for co-writing Kenny Rogers' hit "You Decorated My Life." Two years later, Dolly Parton became the first woman to win on her own for "9 To 5."

Best Country Album
Mary Chapin Carpenter won the 1994 award for Stones In The Road.

Best New Age Album
Enya won the 1992 award for Shepherd Moons.

Best Jazz Vocal Album
Ella Fitzgerald won the 1976 award (the first year it was presented) for Fitzgerald And Pass…Again, on which she was accompanied by jazz guitarist Joe Pass.

Best Jazz Instrumental Album
This award has been presented every year since the inception of the GRAMMYs in 1958, but until this year, no female had won it. Terri Lyne Carrington broke the barrier in January with Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue.

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Maria Schneider Orchestra took the 2004 award for Concert In The Garden.

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance
Gladys Knight shared the 2004 award (the first year it was presented) with Ray Charles. They won for "Heaven Help Us All," a track from his album, Genius Loves Company. The following year, CeCe Winans became the first woman to win on her own for "Pray."

Best Gospel Song
Yolanda Adams shared the 2005 award (the first year it was presented) for "Be Blessed," which she co-wrote with Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and James Q. "Big Jim" Wright. Two years later, Karen Clark-Sheard of the Clark Sisters became the first woman to win on her own for "Blessed & Highly Favored."

Best Latin Pop Album
Lani Hall won the 1985 award for Es Facil Amar.

Best Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album
Shakira won the 2005 award for Fijación Oral Vol. 1.

Best Tropical Latin Album
Celia Cruz shared the 1989 award with Ray Barretto for Ritmo En El Corazon. Three years later, Linda Ronstadt became the first woman to win on her own for Frenesi.

(Paul Grein, a veteran music journalist and historian, writes regularly for Yahoo Music.)

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9 times women made GRAMMY history
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Celebrate Women's History month with Ella Fitzgerald's firsts, Alison Krauss and Beyoncé's mosts, and more history-making women at the GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
Mar 8, 2017 - 3:55 pm
GRAMMY.com

To highlight Women's History month this March, we dug into our archives all the way back to the GRAMMY Awards' beginnings in 1958 to acknowledge the women who have made GRAMMY — and music — history. From the first women to ever win a GRAMMY to the top GRAMMY-winning woman, first female GRAMMY performers and the first female GRAMMY host, take a look at nine examples of how women blazed trails through the lens of the GRAMMYs.

Ella Fitzgerald: The first woman to win multiple GRAMMYs

The 1st GRAMMY Awards took place in 1958, and women were among the first crop of recipients. The first female multiple GRAMMY winner was jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, who took home two statues: Best Vocal Performance, Female and Best Jazz Performance, Individual. The roster of first-time female GRAMMY winners also included Keely Smith, Salli Terry, Barbara Cook, Pert Kelton, Helen Raymond, and Renata Tebaldi.

Who were the first women to win GRAMMYs in the General Field?

The General Field categories — Record, Song and Album Of The Year and Best New Artist — are among some of the most coveted awards in music. Astrud Gilberto became the first woman to win Record Of The Year when she won with Stan Getz for "The Girl From Ipanema" for 1964. The first Song Of The Year female win went to Carole King for "You've Got A Friend" for 1971. The first female Best New Artist was country singer/songwriter Bobbie Gentry. And the first female winner for Album Of The Year went to Judy Garland for 1961 for Judy At Carnegie Hall.

Carole King: The first woman to win multiple General Field GRAMMYs

The first woman to win multiple GRAMMYs in the General Field was King, when she swept Record ("It's Too Late"), Album (Tapestry) and Song Of The Year ("You've Got A Friend") for 1971. The first women to win multiple GRAMMYs in the same General Field categories include Roberta Flack, who took Record Of The Year for 1972 and 1973, for "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly With His Song," respectively. Lauryn Hill, Norah Jones and Alison Krauss have each won Album Of The Year twice, but only once in each case for their own recordings. Taylor Swift won Album Of The Year twice for 2009 and 2015, the first woman to do so as a solo artist. At the 59th GRAMMYs, Adele became the second solo female artist to win Album Of The Year twice. Additionally, she became the first artist in GRAMMY history to sweep Record, Song and Album Of The Year twice in her career, after doing so for 2011 and again for 2016.

Alison Krauss: The woman with the most GRAMMY wins

With 27 GRAMMYs, Krauss is the top-winning female artist (and tied for second-highest GRAMMY winner of all time with Quincy Jones). Beyoncé also ranks near the top with 22 GRAMMY wins, as does Aretha Franklin with 18 wins. Beyoncé holds the record for female artist with the most GRAMMY nominations with 62.

Who are the top GRAMMY winners of all time?

Ella Fitzgerald, Wanda Jackson: The first women to perform on the GRAMMYs

The first televised GRAMMY event, a taped "NBC Sunday Showcase," in honor of the 2nd GRAMMY Awards, aired Nov. 29, 1959. It was Fitzgerald's performance on this broadcast that earned her the distinction of being the first woman to take the GRAMMY stage. When the GRAMMYs transitioned to a live television broadcast format for the 13th GRAMMY Awards in 1971, the first solo female performer was country singer Wanda Jackson singing "Wonder Could I Live There Anymore."

Bonnie Raitt: The most GRAMMY performances

Singer/songwriter Bonnie Raitt is the woman who has performed the most at the GRAMMYs. From her first solo performance of "Thing Called Love" at the 32nd GRAMMY Awards in 1990 through her latest performance in honor of B.B. King with Chris Stapleton and Gary Clark Jr. at the 58th GRAMMY Awards, Raitt has graced the stage nine times. In a tie for a close second are Franklin and Whitney Houston, who each notched eight career GRAMMY performances.

Watch: All the GRAMMY performers from the 1960s–1970s

Whoopi Goldberg: The first female GRAMMY host

Whoopi Goldberg served as the GRAMMYs' first female host at the 34th GRAMMY Awards in 1992. An EGOT (Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar, and Tony) winner, the comedian already had an impressive array of credentials when she helmed the GRAMMY stage. Not one to shy away from pushing the envelope, she delivered arguably one of the raunchiest jokes in GRAMMY history when referencing the show's accounting firm: "I must tell you, Deloitte & Touche are two things I do nightly."

And the first female Special Merit Awards recipients were?

The inaugural Recording Academy Special Merit Award was given in 1963 to Bing Crosby, but it wasn't long until women made their mark. Fitzgerald was the first woman to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1967. The first woman to receive a Trustees Award was Christine M. Farnon in 1992, who served as The Recording Academy's National Executive Director for more than 20 years. Liza Minnelli became the first female artist to receive a GRAMMY Legend Award in 1990.

The first recordings by women to be inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame

Established in 1973 by The Academy's Board of Trustees to honor outstanding recordings that were made before the inception of the GRAMMY Awards, the first female recipients were inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 1976. Billie Holiday's "God Bless The Child" marked the first solo female recording. Gershwin's Porgy & Bess (Opera Version), featuring Camilla Williams, and the original Broadway cast version of "Oklahoma!," featuring Joan Roberts, were inducted into the Hall that same year.

From Abbey Road to "Zip-A-Dee-Doo Dah," view the full list of GRAMMY Hall Of Fame recordings

 

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A GRAMMY Valentine
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On Valentine's Day, we offer flowers, a box of chocolates and a sampling of GRAMMY-winning romantic duets
Paul Grein
GRAMMYs
Feb 14, 2012 - 1:12 pm
GRAMMY.com

The year's most romantic holiday seemed an appropriate opportunity to look at a select list of romantic duets honored by the GRAMMY Awards through the years. Covering country, pop, R&B, and even folk and hip-hop, duets have the kind of natural appeal that crosses genres and generations. Whether they combine stars of the highest magnitude or artists who simply make magic together they tend to have a lasting impact on the listener.

"That Old Black Magic," Louis Prima And Keely Smith
This fizzy recording was the signature song by the husband-and-wife team, whose high-energy nightclub act made them Las Vegas favorites. It won a GRAMMY for Best Performance By A Vocal Group Or Chorus in 1958, the first year of the awards. Prima and Smith performed the song in the 1958 movie Senior Prom. Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer wrote the song for the 1943 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. It earned an Oscar nomination under the title "Black Magic." Big band leader Glenn Miller had the first big hit with the song. Sammy Davis Jr. revived it in 1955.

"If I Were A Carpenter," Johnny Cash And June Carter
The legendary husband-and-wife team had eight country hits, but this was the only one to cross over to the pop chart. This duet made the Top 40 in early 1970, when Cash had a weekly variety series on CBS. The couple brought a warm, informal tone to the Tim Hardin song, which Bobby Darin had popularized in 1966. The hit, which was featured on Cash's album Hello, I'm Johnny Cash, won a GRAMMY for Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1970. Cash and Carter had previously won for 1967's "Jackson."

"After The Fire Is Gone," Conway Twitty And Loretta Lynn
This was the first of 14 country hits that these country legends recorded together. The ballad won Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1971. It marked Lynn's first GRAMMY and the only one for Twitty. Another country legend, Owen Bradley, produced the traditional country track, which appeared on their album We Only Make Believe. More than 30 years later, Lynn won a GRAMMY for a collaboration with a very different type of artist, Jack White. Their song "Portland Oregon" won Best Country Collaboration With Vocals.

"Where Is The Love," Roberta Flack And Donny Hathaway
These two great singers have perfect chemistry on this bittersweet song about a couple whose romance is at the breaking point. The song, from their hit album Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, was one of six chart hits for the pair. Joel Dorn and Arif Mardin co-produced the single, which was voted Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus in 1972. This and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" brought Flack her first two GRAMMYs. This was Hathaway's only GRAMMY. He took his own life in 1979.

"That Lovin' You Feelin' Again," Roy Orbison And Emmylou Harris
This graceful ballad appeared in the movie Roadie, which starred Meat Loaf. It was voted Best Country Performance, Duo Or Group in 1980. (Surprisingly, it marked the first GRAMMY for Orbison.) Both singers went on to win GRAMMYs for subsequent collaborations. Orbison won for a pairing with k.d. lang on his classic "Crying" and for the all-star Traveling Wilburys project. Harris won twice for recordings with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt.

"Guilty," Barbra Streisand And Barry Gibb
Streisand has recorded duets with such stars as Neil Diamond, Celine Dion and Donna Summer, but this was the only one to win a GRAMMY. This slinky recording won Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1980. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb co-wrote the song, which was featured on Streisand's smash album of the same name. It's closer to the Bee Gees' hit sound than to Streisand's usual ballad style, but she rose to the occasion, demonstrating her versatility. Gibb also co-produced the album, which spawned a second duet hit, "What Kind Of Fool."

 "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)," Aretha Franklin And George Michael
The Queen of Soul and the prince of MTV teamed for this scorching duet, which was featured on Franklin's 1986 album Aretha. The smash won Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1987. It was the first GRAMMY for Michael, who won Album Of The Year the following year for Faith. The video includes stills of two earlier pairings, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and Sonny and Cher — choices that reflect this record's multiformat appeal. The song's success helped its producer, Narada Michael Walden, win the 1987 GRAMMY for Producer Of The Year.

"(I've Had) The Time Of My Life," Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.
This vibrant recording helped make Dirty Dancing a hit movie, a smash soundtrack and an enduring phenomenon. The song won an Oscar as well as a GRAMMY for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1987. Warnes had won in the same category five years earlier for "Up Where We Belong," a duet with Joe Cocker from An Officer And A Gentleman. Dirty Dancing was set in 1963, which is the same year that Medley first hit the chart as one-half of the Righteous Brothers. This is his only GRAMMY to date.

"I'm In The Mood," John Lee Hooker Featuring Bonnie Raitt
Hooker had a No. 1 R&B hit with this song in 1951. Nearly 40 years later, Raitt teamed with him to remake it for his all-star album The Healer. Their version was voted Best Traditional Blues Recording in 1989. It marked the first GRAMMY win for both artists. (Raitt won three other awards that year for her album Nick Of Time.) Both artists have since won GRAMMYs for collaborations with other artists. Raitt won for 1991's "Good Man, Good Woman," a pairing with Delbert McClinton. Hooker won for 1997's "Don't Look Back," a collaboration with Van Morrison.

"Makin' Whoopee," Dr. John With Rickie Lee Jones
This lighthearted duet appeared on Dr. John's album In A Sentimental Mood. The track won Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group in 1989. This was Dr. John's first GRAMMY. He and Jones capture the song's amorous and impish spirit. Their rendition gained wider exposure in 1993 when it was featured in the hit movie and soundtrack Sleepless In Seattle. Eddie Cantor introduced the song in the 1928 Broadway musical "Whoopee!" Ray Charles revived it in 1965.

"Don't Know Much," Linda Ronstadt Featuring Aaron Neville
Bill Medley and Bette Midler had both charted with this ballad, but it took this pairing to turn it into a smash. The track won for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1989. It was Neville's first GRAMMY (along with another award that same year for the Neville Brothers). Ronstadt and Neville won again the following year for "All My Life." Both songs appeared on Ronstadt's album Cry Like A Rainstorm — Howl Like The Wind. "Don't Know Much" was co-produced by Peter Asher (that year's GRAMMY winner for Producer Of The Year) and Steve Tyrell.

"Unforgettable," Natalie Cole With Nat "King" Cole
This ultraromantic ballad garnered wins for Record Of The Year and Best Traditional Pop Performance in 1991. It was featured on Natalie's Unforgettable With Love, which was voted Album Of The Year. Nat's vocals were dubbed from a 1961 recording. (He had first recorded the song in 1951.) David Foster produced this velvety recording, which helped him win a GRAMMY for Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical). Natalie encored five years later with a recording of her father's 1957 classic '"When I Fall In Love," which also featured Nat's vocals. It won a GRAMMY for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.

"Beauty And The Beast," Celine Dion And Peabo Bryson
This elegant ballad, written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, won an Oscar as well as a GRAMMY for Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or For Television. Angela Lansbury performed the song in the movie. This pop version played over the end credits. Both versions were featured on the soundtrack. The Dion/Bryson version was voted Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1992. It marked the first GRAMMY for both artists. Bryson won in the same category the following year with another movie theme duet, "A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)," which he sang with Regina Belle.

"I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By," Method Man Featuring Mary J. Blige
This influential recording blended hard-edged rap with old-school R&B. It won for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1995. The smash grew out of the track "All I Need," which appeared on Method Man's 1994 album Tical, his first apart from Wu-Tang Clan. Producer RZA created the hit remix. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell introduced "You're All I Need To Get By" in 1968. Another blue-chip team, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, wrote the song. This was the first GRAMMY for Blige, who has gone on to win for collaborations with Sting, Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan.

"Dilemma," Nelly Featuring Kelly Rowland
This smash, which still sounds fresh, was voted Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2002. The song borrowed heavily from Patti LaBelle's 1984 R&B hit "Love, Need And Want You," so it was fitting that LaBelle had a cameo in the video as Rowland's mom. This marked the first GRAMMY for Nelly (along with an award that same year for "Hot In Herre," another track from his sophomore album, Nellyville). Rowland had previously won three GRAMMYs for her work with Destiny's Child. The two reunited in 2011 for "Gone."

"A Wonderful World," Tony Bennett And k.d. lang
This was the title track of an album-length collaboration that won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2003. Near the end of the song, Bennett tips his hat to Louis Armstrong, who introduced the song in 1967. Bennett and lang have a long history of collaborations. They teamed to sing "Moonglow" on his 1994 album MTV Unplugged; "Because Of You" on his first duets album, 2006's Duets: An American Classic; and "Blue Velvet" on his 2011 album Duets II. In addition, both singers have won GRAMMYs for duets with other partners. Lang won for a 1988 pairing with Roy Orbison; Bennett for a 2006 collaboration with Stevie Wonder.

"Crazy In Love," Beyoncé (Featuring Jay-Z)
Beyoncé's solo career got off to an explosive start with this smash, which won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2003. It borrows the horn hook from the Chi-Lites' 1970 R&B hit "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)." "Crazy In Love" appeared on Beyoncé's first solo album, Dangerously In Love, which won Best Contemporary R&B Album. "Crazy In Love" was the second of four pairings by Beyoncé and Jay-Z to hit the chart. In 2008 they took their collaboration to the next level by getting married.

"My Boo," Usher And Alicia Keys
This tender duet won a GRAMMY for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals in 2004. It was added to a deluxe edition of Usher's blockbuster album Confessions, which was voted Best Contemporary R&B Album. Usher is featured on an edgy, rock-accented opening, but the song really comes alive when the two singers join forces. Keys' plaintive vocal enhances the song's emotional power. This valentine is just right for the hip-hop generation: it's warm and melodic but not at all gooey.

"Please Read The Letter," Robert Plant And Alison Krauss
This rootsy ballad won Record Of The Year in 2008. It was one of the highlights of Raising Sand, the unlikely pairing of rock idol Plant and country/bluegrass star Krauss. The album brought the pair a total of six GRAMMYs, including Album Of The Year and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album. T Bone Burnett's spare production adds to the song's impact. The song first appeared on the 1998 album Walking Into Clarksville, which Plant recorded with his former Led Zeppelin cohort Jimmy Page.

"Lucky," Jason Mraz And Colbie Caillat
Mraz and Caillat are known for mellow songs such as "I'm Yours" (his) and "Bubbly" (hers), and this duet couldn't be mellower. The serene ballad about being in love with your best friend won Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals in 2009. (Remarkably, Caillat had a second teaming in the running, "Breathe," which she recorded with Taylor Swift.) The song appeared on Mraz's album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. Mraz and Mexican singer Ximena Sariñana later recorded a Spanish-language version of the song.

(Paul Grein, a veteran music journalist based in Los Angeles, writes the weekly Chart Watch column for Yahoo.com.)

Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand
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Dr. Dre to Tom Petty: What's your GRAMMY friend playlist?
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The GRAMMY Friendship Day playlist
GRAMMYs
Jul 30, 2010 - 6:00 am
GRAMMY.com

There aren't many things more important than friendship. A friend is someone you can talk with about a problem, someone who is always there when you need a hand, someone you can trust with your deepest secrets, someone who makes you laugh, or even someone you can poke on Facebook. And a friend can be anyone or anything: a parent, a sibling, a classmate, a pet, a stuffed animal, or even invisible.

In recognizing the important role friends play in people's lives, in 1935 Congress proclaimed the first Sunday in August as Friendship Day. The idea is simple: spend time with your friends and express your love and appreciation for them. The holiday has caught on globally as friends worldwide take part in the celebration, led by friendship ambassador Winnie the Pooh, who was named to the post in 1997 by the United Nations.

Of course, artists and musicians know the importance of friendship. Whether it is a bandmate, producer, songwriter, or manager, an artist needs a good team of friends he/she can trust. Sometimes musical friendship can manifest itself in other ways, such as getting together with a fellow artist in the spirit of collaboration.

With the latter thought in mind, we present our GRAMMY Friendship Day playlist featuring memorable pairings and duets, and the coveted fruits of thy friendships: the songs. 

 

Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand (iTunes>)
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers," Record Of The Year nominee, 1979

Written by Diamond with Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Diamond and Streisand each recorded solo versions of this solemn song and an enterprising disc jockey spliced together both versions, which ultimately resulted in the pair coming together for their duet recording. It was a good idea as the duet hit the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978, and was followed by a memorable performance at the 22nd Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1980.

 

Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes (iTunes>)
"Up Where We Belong," Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, 1982

Appearing on the soundtrack for An Officer And A Gentleman, this uplifting No. 1 hit almost didn't happen. Film producer Don Simpson demanded it be shelved from the soundtrack, saying at the time, "The song is no good. It isn't a hit." The magic combination of Cocker and Warnes ultimately proved him wrong. Songwriters Will Jennings, Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie also took home the Oscar for best original song in 1982.

 

Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes (iTunes>)
"(I've Had) The Time Of My Life," Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, 1987

Warnes makes a second playlist appearance with her duet with Medley featured in Dirty Dancing. Who could forget the film's dancing finale? Frances "Baby" Houseman (played by Jennifer Grey) overcomes her trepidation and trusts both herself and her dancing partner, Johnny Castle (played by Patrick Swayze), to allow him to lift her up figuratively and literally, set to the perfect backdrop of "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life." The song also picked up the Oscar for best original song in 1987.

 

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (iTunes>)
"Please Read The Letter," Record Of The Year, 2008

The Album Of The Year winner in 2008, Raising Sand, was spawned by the unlikely combination of a bluegrass princess and rock royalty. The collaboration, which also featured the able assistance of producer T Bone Burnett, proved to be fruitful as Krauss and Plant struck GRAMMY gold five times over. Asked to sum up the partnership with Krauss, Plant said in a 2007 interview: "We're happy. We feel good together, this seems to be a good little team."

 

Santana & Rob Thomas (iTunes>)
"Smooth," Record Of The Year, 1999

Santana employed a large cast of friends for his 1999 album Supernatural, including Eric Clapton, Lauryn Hill, Maná, and Dave Matthews. Most notably, his teamwork with Matchbox Twenty singer Thomas on "Smooth" resulted in one of the top songs not only of the year, but of the last 50 years. In 2008 Billboard named "Smooth" as the No. 2 song on its list of the Billboard Hot 100's top 100 songs from its first 50 years, only behind Chubby Checker's "The Twist."

 

Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder (iTunes>)
"Ebony And Ivory," Record Of The Year nominee, 1982

A song embodying harmony and true friendship, "Ebony And Ivory" united two legends in McCartney and Wonder. The song's call-and-response includes a reference to black-and-white keys being side by side on a piano, underscoring its theme of racial harmony. Penned solely by Macca, the song lived in perfect harmony at No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic in 1982.

 

Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers (iTunes>)
"Islands In The Stream," Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal nominee, 1983

Written by the Bee Gees, "Islands In The Stream" was the start of a beautiful friendship between two of country's finest artists. After riding the stream all the way to No. 1, Parton and Rogers proceeded to record a Christmas album and would eventually team for another duet in 1985, "Real Love," which was followed by a brief U.S. tour.

 

Faith Evans & Puff Daddy (iTunes>)
"I'll Be Missing You," Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group, 1997

Diddy, the artist formerly known as Puffy and Puff Daddy, joined with Evans for the touching "I'll Be Missing You" to honor the late Notorious B.I.G, who was murdered in 1997. The song borrows the melody and basic structure from the Police's "Every Breath You Take." Friendship assist: Sting.

 

Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg (iTunes>)
"Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang," Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group nominee, 1993

Featured on Dr. Dre's seminal hip-hop album, The Chronic, "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang" paired Dre with then-new artist Snoop Dogg. In true friendship fashion, the music video depicts Dre trekking to pick up Snoop for a block party blowout featuring volleyball, barbeque and other thangs.

 

Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty (iTunes>)
"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal nominee, 1981

For her first solo album outside Fleetwood Mac, Nicks enlisted the talents of Petty and his band the Heartbreakers in 1981 on "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around." The song features spirited vocal interplay between Petty and Nicks, with backing from the entire Heartbreakers roster. In reciprocal friendship nature, earlier that year Nicks sang vocals on tracks featured on Petty's Hard Promises album.

 

Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men (iTunes>)
"One Sweet Day," Record Of The Year nominee, 1995

Boyz II Men and Carey teamed for this soaring ballad, featured on Carey's Daydream album, in 1995. The somber verse lyrics lament a friend who has passed while the chorus offers optimism with the hopes of a reunion in heaven "one sweet day." The song holds the distinction for having the longest run (16 weeks) at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

 

Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer
"Redemption Song," Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals nominee, 2004

The pairing of former Clash member Strummer and country legend Cash proved to be equally redeeming and exciting. Their cover of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," a song encouraging emancipation from "mental slavery," made its way on to Cash's box set, Unearthed, in 2003. Sadly, these two friends are no longer with us: Strummer died in 2002 and Cash died in 2003.

 

Babyface & Eric Clapton (iTunes>)
"Change The World," Record Of The Year, 1996

Clapton and Babyface teamed for "Change The World" for Phenomenon, a film telling the tale of a small-town man (played by John Travolta) who unexpectedly attains telekinetic powers. The classic rock guitar titan and smooth R&B crooner rode this song all the way to No. 1 with the help of some other friends, songwriters Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick and Tommy Sims.

 

k.d. lang & Roy Orbison (iTunes>)
"Crying," Best Country Vocal Collaboration, 1988

Sometimes it's a friend who can make all the difference. Canadian songstress lang got one of her first big career breaks touring as a backup singer with Orbison, and received another when Orbison decided to record a duet with her on "Crying" in 1987. Orbison originally wrote the song with Joe Melson and released it in 1961. The duet marked lang's first appearance on the Country Singles chart.

 

Judy Garland & Gene Kelly (iTunes>)
"For Me And My Gal," GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, 2010

Graduating from the role of Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz, a then-20-year-old Garland played her first adult role in 1942's For Me And My Gal. The film is set during World War I and follows the journey of two talented performers, Jo Hayden (Garland) and Harry Palmer (Kelly), with grand plans for vaudeville success. The song was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2010, becoming Garland's sixth recording to earn Hall honors. 

 

Elton John, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick & Stevie Wonder (iTunes>)
"That's What Friends Are For," Song Of The Year, 1986

What's better than a duet? How about four GRAMMY-winning artists getting together to perform a song that speaks to the true meaning of friendship.

 

What songs symbolize friendship to you? Drop us a comment.

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Album Of The Year GRAMMY Winners: '90s
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Bob Dylan, Lauryn Hill, Whitney Houston, and Santana are among the artists who took home music's biggest album prize
GRAMMYs
Nov 16, 2016 - 10:55 am
GRAMMY.com

An incalculable number of albums have been released in music history, but only 58 have earned the coveted distinction of Album Of The Year GRAMMY winner so far. From Henry Mancini's The Music From Peter Gunn to Taylor Swift's 1989, some of these elite albums have arguably surprised, some were seemingly consensus choices and still others have fostered lasting debate. In part four of Album Of The Year GRAMMY Winners, explore the albums that won — and were runners-up for — music's biggest prize for the 1990s.

1990 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Back On The Block
Quincy Jones (And Various Artists)

Almost 40 years after launching his career as a young jazz trumpeter in Lionel Hampton's band, Quincy Jones utilized his wide range of skills as a performer, composer, arranger, and producer to create Back On The Block, an album with a spectrum of musical colors spaning jazz to rap, soul, world music, and pop. Varied contributors include Joe Zawinul, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Chaka Khan, Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles, Kool Moe Dee, Ice-T, Melle Mel, and pre-teen R&B star Tevin Campbell. Because of its eclecticism, the album brought home GRAMMYs in divergent categories including arrangement, rap and jazz, and Jones was named Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical) for the third time.

Other Nominees:
Mariah Carey, Mariah Carey
… But Seriously, Phil Collins
Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, M.C. Hammer
Wilson Phillips, Wilson Phillips

1991 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Unforgettable With Love
Natalie Cole

Prior to releasing Unforgettable With Love, Natalie Cole — named Best New Artist for 1975 at the 18th GRAMMY Awards — had kept a fair distance from her musical heritage, creating mostly pop- and R&B-based recordings. But she seemed to come to peace with her lineage on Unforgettable …, striking a beautiful balance of jazz and R&B standards, and taking advantage of technological recording advances allowing her to "duet" with her late father, jazz icon Nat "King" Cole. (The massive success of the album led her to move even further toward jazz on subsequent albums.) In addition to Album Of The Year, Unforgettable With Love's title track was dubbed both Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year (won by songwriter Irving Gordon).

Other Nominees:
Heart In Motion, Amy Grant
Luck Of The Draw, Bonnie Raitt
Out Of Time, R.E.M.
The Rhythm Of The Saints, Paul Simon

1992 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Unplugged
Eric Clapton

In a year of incredibly strong albums, including U2's heralded Achtung Baby and Annie Lennox's solo debut, an acoustic effort by a guitar legend was recognized as the year's standout. One of the more stellar albums of the MTV "Unplugged" series, Eric Clapton's 1992 effort (recorded in front of an intimate audience at Bray Studios in London) was a high point in his '90s output. The stripped-down yet genuine collection included a reworking of the classic "Layla," traditional blues numbers "Rollin' And Tumblin'" and "Before You Accuse Me," and "Tears In Heaven," a touching farewell to his young son Conor, who had died the previous year. The track won both Song and Record Of The Year; in total, Unplugged garnered six GRAMMYs.

Other Nominees:
Ingenue, k.d. lang
Diva, Annie Lennox
Achtung Baby, U2
Beauty And The Beast — Motion Picture Soundtrack, Various Artists

1993 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

The Bodyguard — Original Soundtrack Album 
Whitney Houston

Seven years after her splashy self-titled debut, Whitney Houston took a detour from pop superstardom into acting with the film The Bodyguard. Although the romantic thriller failed to garner critical acclaim, the explosive popularity of the soundtrack resulted in an increase in box-office receipts. The album featured such standout Houston performances as "I'm Every Woman," the soaring "I Have Nothing" and the monumental yet plaintive "I Will Always Love You." Penned by Dolly Parton, it wasn't the first time the latter song was heard in a film: The same year "I Will Always Love You" appeared on Parton's album Jolene (1974), Martin Scorsese used it in his romantic drama Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The Bodyguard would spend 20 weeks at No. 1 and sell more than 17 million copies, making it the biggest-selling soundtrack album in history.

Other Nominees:
Kamakiriad, Donald Fagen
River Of Dreams, Billy Joel
Automatic For The People, R.E.M.
Ten Summoner's Tales, Sting

1994 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

MTV Unplugged
Tony Bennett

More than 40 years into his career, 68-year-old Tony Bennett — one of the most enduring and respected pop standards interpreters — suddenly gained a whole new appreciative audience, many of whom were not even born when he'd won Record Of The Year for 1962 for "I Left My Heart In San Francisco." Under the shrewd guidance of his son and manager Danny, MTV Unplugged became the apex of a refreshed phase of Bennett's career. Ably supported by his loyal and elegant Ralph Sharon Trio (and joined by guests Elvis Costello and k.d. lang) on MTV Unplugged, Bennett introduced a new generation to the Great American Songbook, once again proving that standards are hard to beat — in any era. 

Other Nominees:
The 3 Tenors In Concert 1994, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, and Zubin Mehta
From The Cradle, Eric Clapton
Longing In Their Hearts, Bonnie Raitt
Seal, Seal

1995 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette was quite successful as a child actress and teen pop star years before she took the world by storm in the mid-'90s. And storm is no exaggeration: Jagged Little Pill, her moody, angst-filled debut for Maverick Records was embraced by pretty much anyone who needed a soundtrack to a relationship gone sour. Co-written and produced by Glen Ballard, the album — which has become one of the best-selling recordings by a woman ever — features a solid lineup of tracks, including "You Oughta Know" (a double GRAMMY winner), "Ironic," "You Learn," and "Hand In My Pocket."

Other Nominees:
Daydream, Mariah Carey
History Past, Present And Future Book I, Michael Jackson
Relish, Joan Osborne
Vitalogy, Pearl Jam

1996 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Falling Into You
Celine Dion

Celine Dion won her first GRAMMY and became a household name in 1992 primarily through her duet with Peabo Bryson on the title track to the Disney animated film Beauty And The Beast. But the expansiveness of Falling Into You, featuring the gorgeous ballad "Because You Loved Me," written by Diane Warren, foreshadowed the artistic level Dion would subsequently reach. Embellished with love-struck strings and shimmery touches of Latin American and dance-floor rhythms, the album perfectly captures the emotions and confidence of a then-recently married Dion. It also set her up perfectly to record the most recognizable song of her career: four-time GRAMMY winner "My Heart Will Go On," from the 1997 film Titanic.

Other Nominees:
Odelay, Beck
The Score, Fugees
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, the Smashing Pumpkins
Waiting To Exhale — Motion Picture Soundtrack, Various Artists

1997 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Time Out Of Mind
Bob Dylan

After a significant creative break from original recordings, Bob Dylan returned in 1997 with Time Out Of Mind, a rough-hewn collection of dark songs produced with the help of Daniel Lanois. Written during a long snowy winter in Minnesota and recorded in Miami's Criteria Studios, Time Out Of Mind's foreboding feel was heralded by critics as a return to form for Dylan. Said to be haunted by the influence of Buddy Holly during the sessions, he was further spooked by a serious chest infection that sidelined him during the final production of the album. Dylan would recover and, interestingly, share the media spotlight during this period with his son Jakob, whose band the Wallflowers were enjoying success with Bringing Down The Horse.

Other Nominees:
The Day, Babyface
This Fire, Paula Cole
Flaming Pie, Paul McCartney
OK Computer, Radiohead

1998 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill

After several rewarding years with the Fugees, Lauryn Hill branched out on her own with The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, a soulful stew of hip-hop, reggae, R&B, and Motown. The album was propelled by the hit single "Doo Wop (That Thing)," which picked up GRAMMYs for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best Rhythm & Blues Song — in total, she brought home five GRAMMYs at the 41st GRAMMY Awards. Although named Best New Artist, Hill was certainly not new to the entertainment industry. Before her solo success, she'd dipped her toes into acting ("As The World Turns" and Sister Act 2) and was a member of the Fugees, two-time GRAMMY winners for 1996's The Score.

Other Nominees:
The Globe Sessions, Sheryl Crow
Version 2.0, Garbage
Ray Of Light, Madonna
Come On Over, Shania Twain

1999 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Supernatural
Santana

With the help of then-Arista head Clive Davis, Carlos Santana reintroduced himself to the world in 1999 in a new light. Already a veteran dating back to San Francisco's Summer of Love, Supernatural found Santana paired up with an array of contemporary stars, including Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas ("Smooth"), Lauryn Hill and Cee Lo Green ("Do You Like The Way"), rock en español act Maná ("Corizon Espinado"), as well as fellow six-stringer Eric Clapton ("The Calling"), for an album that crossed both musical and generational divides. New fans of Santana reveled in their discovery, but tenured fans knew he'd been a master of unique collaborations for years (including work with Alice Coltrane, John McLaughlin and Nigerian drummer Babatunde Olatunji, among many others). Supernatural was anointed with nine GRAMMYs, including Album, Record and Song Of The Year (the latter for writers Rob Thomas and Itaal Shur). 

Other Nominees: 
Millennium, Backstreet Boys
Fly, Dixie Chicks
When I Look In Your Eyes, Diana Krall
Fanmail, TLC