The Gramophone Awards, as they were originally known, started out as the record industry’s answer to the Oscars and the Emmys in 1959. Being a black-tie event from its very inception 56 years ago, this first ever ceremony happened inside the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton in LA and the night was full of surprises! Check out some of the tunes that rocked the very first year of the grand Grammys.
Record of the Year and Song of the Year - Domenico Modugno
The very first Record of the Year and Song of the Year awards both went to Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) by Domenico Modugno. Hum along with this timeless melody.
Best Album Cover - Frank Sinatra
While the legendary Frank Sinatra was a league apart with a grand total of six nominations, he didn’t turn out to be the night’s biggest winner. In fact Sinatra won his first Grammy not for singing, but as an art director for his Only the Lonely album that won the award for Best Album Cover. This man was and still is unadulterated magic! Check out the whole album below.
The 1959 Grammy awards had only 28 categories, the least ever! The 2015 Grammy awards had 83 categories in all. Check out who won big at the very first Grammy awards:
Album of the Year - Henry Mancini for Peter Gunn
Henry Mancini’s music for the TV series Peter Gunn stood tall as the Best Album of the year. Check out the theme track below. The composer went on to win 20 Grammys through his career!
Best Vocal Performance (Female) and Best Jazz Performance (Individual) - Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book was a 1957 studio album by the supremely talented American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. Her vocals were accompanied by the Duke Ellington orchestra. If you’re a jazz buff, this is still the real deal my friend!
Best Vocal Performance (Male) - Perry Como
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away...save it for a rainy day!
I bet Perry Como would win hands down for that stunner of a voice even today!
Best Rhythm and Blues -The Champs
The 1958 Latin-flavored rock’n’roll instrumental recorded by the Champs was based on a Cuban Mambo beat. Interestingly, the word ‘Tequila’ is spoken only thrice throughout the tune, it did top the Pop and R&B charts at the time of release. Listen to the iconic tune and we bet you’ll say “Oohhhh Yeah!”
The Grammy awards are presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. 1959-1961 was the non-televised era of the Grammys. The show was aired every weekend as a ‘Sunday Showcase’ on American networks. Wondering why Elvis Presley was missing from the winners list? The King had arguably produced his best records before the inception of the Grammys. But with 14 nominations and only 3 wins, that too for gospel songs, some believe that Presley was horribly snubbed by music’s biggest night!
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