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GRAMMY Rewind: Roberta Flack Wins Record Of The Year For "Killing Me Softly With His Song"

Roberta Flack at the 1974 GRAMMYs

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GRAMMY Rewind: Roberta Flack Wins Record Of The Year For "Killing Me Softly With His Song"

For the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, we revisit the iconic soul singer's second Record Of The Year GRAMMY, for "Killing Me Softly With His Song" at the 1974 GRAMMYs

GRAMMYs/Oct 2, 2020 - 11:17 pm

For the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind (watch below), we revisit the iconic Roberta Flack's second Record Of The Year GRAMMY, for "Killing Me Softly With His Song" at the 1974 GRAMMYs.

Looking '70s chic in a lime green dress and natural makeup, she accepted her award with a simple yet sincere message: "I'd like to thank the world."

The soulful classic/No. 1 hit (which hit No. 1 again when the Fugees covered it in 1996) also won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance that year. The emotive song is from Flack's 1973 album Killing Me Softly, which was also nominated for Album Of The Year that year.

The year prior, at the 15th GRAMMY Awards, Flack won her first two GRAMMYs, Record Of The Year for "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" (yes, she won it two years in a row!) and Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus for "Where Is The Love" with Donny Hathaway, from their 1972 duet album.

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This year, the "Tryin' Times" singer's powerful voice and countless classics will be celebrated at the GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends, where she joins the prestigious group of Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award honorees. Along with Isaac Hayes, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, John Prine and several others, she joins the 2020 class.

Tune into the Special Merit Awards 2020 celebration on Oct. 16 on PBS to hear music from the honorees sung by artists they've inspired.

Watch: Lalah Hathaway Honors Late Father Donny Hathaway In Moving GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends Performance

GRAMMY Rewind: Faith Hill Graciously Thanks Her Supporters After 'Breathe' Wins Best Country Album In 2001
Faith Hill at the 2001 GRAMMYs.

Photo: HECTOR MATA/AFP via Getty Images

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GRAMMY Rewind: Faith Hill Graciously Thanks Her Supporters After 'Breathe' Wins Best Country Album In 2001

After winning Best Country Album for 'Breathe' — one of her three wins at the 2001 GRAMMYs — Faith Hill delivered a heartfelt speech thanking her family for helping her achieve her dreams, and her team for making that dream a reality.

GRAMMYs/May 26, 2023 - 05:02 pm

When Dolly Parton, flanked by Brad Paisley, handed Faith Hill her GRAMMY for Best Country Album in 2001 — for her classic 1999 album Breathe — it felt like a passing of the torch.*

The first words out of an awestruck Hill's mouth, to Parton: "Wow! And coming from you, thank you so much. I just admire you so much."

Hill went on to deliver a heartfelt speech, in which she thanked her parents for helping facilitate her music dreams and expressed how long and hard her journey to the GRAMMYs stage was.

Breathe helped Hill take home three GRAMMYs that night — the others being Best Female Country Vocal Performance ("Breathe") and Best Country Collaboration With Vocals ("Let's Make Love," with three-time GRAMMY-winning husband Tim McGraw.)

Check out the throwback to Y2K-era country music history above, and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

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GRAMMY Rewind: Daft Punk Shares "Love" For Macklemore After 'Random Access Memories' Wins Album Of The Year In 2014
Daft Punk on stage with Nile Rodgers (left), Paul Williams (center) and Pharrell Williams (center right) at the 2014 GRAMMYs.

Photo: Michael Tran/FilmMagic

GRAMMY Rewind: Daft Punk Shares "Love" For Macklemore After 'Random Access Memories' Wins Album Of The Year In 2014

Notorious for their silent (and masked) appearances, French EDM duo Daft Punk had 'Random Access Memories' collaborator Paul Williams deliver their heartwarming message at the 56th GRAMMY Awards — which included a shout-out to Macklemore.

GRAMMYs/May 17, 2023 - 05:00 pm

This year, Daft Punk is celebrating their 20th anniversary. Their groundbreaking album Random Access Memories also celebrates a milestone anniversary in 2023, turning 10 on May 17.

In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, we turn back the clock to 2014, when Daft Punk won the prestigious Album of the Year award for Random Access Memories. Notorious for their silent, faceless appearances, musical legend Paul Williams accepted the duo's award while they stood back.

"Back when I was drinking and using, I used to imagine things that weren't there that were frightening. Then, I got sober, and two robots called me and asked me to make an album," Williams joked at the beginning of the speech.

"I just got a message from the robots, and what they wanted me to say is that as elegant and as classy as the GRAMMY has ever been is the moment when we saw those wonderful marriages," Williams said, referring to Macklemore's revolutionary performance of "Same Love" at the same ceremony. "'Same Love' is fantastic, and it was the height of fairness and the power of love for all people at any time, in any combination."

Williams went on to praise Daft Punk's generous spirit, their fellow collaborators, and the love that went into making the album.

Press play on the video above to watch Paul Williams' full acceptance speech for Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

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GRAMMY Rewind: Macy Gray Praises Hip-Hop & Her Legendary Mentors After "I Try" Wins In 2001
Macy Gray at the 2001 GRAMMYs.

Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

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GRAMMY Rewind: Macy Gray Praises Hip-Hop & Her Legendary Mentors After "I Try" Wins In 2001

Macy Gray gave a shout-out to Prince, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder and Sly Stone during a quick but heartfelt acceptance speech for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 43rd GRAMMY Awards.

GRAMMYs/May 12, 2023 - 05:00 pm

After having a whirlwind year thanks to her runaway hit "I Try," Macy Gray celebrated yet another accomplishment thanks to the ubiquitous jam: her first GRAMMY.

In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, we flashback to the evening Gray won the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance award for her chart-topping single, "I Try." Though her acceptance speech was short and sweet, she made sure the people who got her there — starting off with her biggest inspirations.  

"I just want to thank all of my mentors, like Prince, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Sly Stone," Gray said at the start of her speech. She went on to praise the hip-hop community, her band and her family.

"I'm really flattered by all of you who voted for me. Thanks!" Gray exclaimed as she made her way off the stage.

Gray also scored Record of the Year and Song of the Year nominations for "I Try" that year. The year prior, she was up for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Do Something" as well as the coveted Best New Artist. 

Press play on the video above to watch Macy Gray's quick but gracious acceptance speech for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 2001 GRAMMYs, and check back to GRAMMY.com every Friday for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind. 

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GRAMMY Rewind: Erykah Badu Thanks Stevie Wonder & George Clinton For Influencing 'Baduizm' In 1998
Erykah Badu at the 1998 GRAMMYs.

Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

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GRAMMY Rewind: Erykah Badu Thanks Stevie Wonder & George Clinton For Influencing 'Baduizm' In 1998

After 'Baduizm' won Best R&B Album at the 1998 GRAMMYs, Erykah Badu dedicated her golden gramophone to two of her idols — as well as the rising musicians who often go unheard.

GRAMMYs/May 5, 2023 - 05:00 pm

The world first fell in love with Erykah Badu in 1997, when she released her debut studio album, Baduizm. Helmed by hits "On & On," "Next Lifetime" and "Appletree," Badu skyrocketed to stardom as Baduizm made its way to the top of the charts — and helped her snag four GRAMMY nominations at the 1998 GRAMMYs, including Best New Artist.

In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, we revisit one of Badu's two wins from that night, when Baduizm won Best R&B Album. (Badu also won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "On & On.")

"Woo!" Badu cheered at the start of her acceptance speech. "I represent the artists who are often unheard, and this is for us."

Badu went on to praise her "dream team" at her record label, Kedar Entertainment, her family, and the people who assisted in the making of Baduizm — including the two artists who influenced the album, George Clinton and Stevie Wonder.

Before heading off the stage, she closed out her speech by acknowledging two more special people in her life: God and her fans. "I would like to thank the creator for giving me this gift. I thank my fans. Peace!" Badu said.

Press play on the video above to watch Erykah Badu's entire Best R&B Album acceptance speech at the 1998 GRAMMY Awards, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

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