Grammy Award

Grammy Award

The Grammy Awards (originally the Gramophone Awards), presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music Awards, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, make up the rest). However, the Grammys, usually held in February, (last of what are considered the "big three" music awards shows, including the BMA and AMA shows) are considered the approximate equivalent to the Oscars, in the music world.

Like the Oscars, the Grammys, which currently have 108 categories within 30 genres of music (such as pop, gospel, and rap), are voted upon by peers - voting members of the Recording Academy - rather than being based upon popularity (as with the AMAs) or sales and chart achievements (the BMAs).

The awards are named for the trophy which the winner receives - a small gilded statuette of a gramophone, handcrafted by Billings Artworks. The awards ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and some of the more prominent Grammys are presented in a widely-viewed televised ceremony.

Some feel that because Grammy voters tend to vote conservatively, and are marketed to by record companies, the most widely-recognized Grammys tend to go to either well-established artists or those being hyped by the recording industry. Hence, the Grammys are not taken seriously by some musicians and music fans. In fact, many artists who are placed in high regard, artistically, by many fans and critics (such as Elvis Presley, Mariah Carey, Garth Brooks, Pink Floyd, Kenny Rogers, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, ) have been awarded very few Grammys.

Of the "big three" music awards shows, the Grammys are the highest rated.

Unlike the Academy Awards, for which the eligibility period begins January 1, the eligibility period for the Grammys begins October 1, which results in September being considered the Christmas sales period for the music industry (in which artists generally release big albums to qualify for the next year's Grammy). So, for example, John Lennon & Yoko Ono's album Double Fantasy was released in November, 1980, a month-and-a-half too late to qualify for the 1981 Grammys, and thus eligible for the 1982 awards (it eventually won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year).

The Grammys are currently broadcast on CBS.

Grammy Records

Pat Metheny and the Pat Metheny Group have won 16 Grammys in total, including six consecutive awards for six consecutive albums. Metheny, as of the 2004 Grammy Awards, holds the record for Grammy wins in the most different categories:

  1. Best Jazz Fusion Performance (1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1990)
  2. Best Instrumental Composition (1991)
  3. Best Contemporary Jazz Performance/Album (1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2003)
  4. Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group (1998, 2000)
  5. Best Rock Instrumental Performance (1999)
  6. Best Jazz Instrumental Solo (2001)
  7. Best New Age Album (2004)

Session drummer Hal Blaine played on six consecutive records which won Record of the Year:

  1. 1966 Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - "A Taste of Honey"
  2. 1967 Frank Sinatra - "Strangers in the Night"
  3. 1968 5th Dimension - "Up, Up and Away"
  4. 1969 Simon & Garfunkel - "Mrs. Robinson"
  5. 1970 5th Dimension - "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"
  6. 1971 Simon & Garfunkel - "Bridge Over Troubled Water"

Legendary Opera Diva Leontyne Price has won 18 awards

Soul and R&B legend Aretha Franklin has won 11 awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, including 8 consecutive (and the first 8 ever awarded) awards in the category:

  1. 1968 - "Respect"
  2. 1969 - "Chain of Fools"
  3. 1970 - "Share Your Love With Me"
  4. 1971 - "Don't Play That Song"
  5. 1972 - "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
  6. 1973 - Young, Gifted, and Black
  7. 1974 - "Master of Eyes"
  8. 1975 - "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing"
  9. 1982 - "Hold On, I'm Comin'"
  10. 1986 - "Freeway of Love"
  11. 1988 - Aretha

Conductor Sir Georg Solti holds the record for most Grammys won, having won a total of thirty-eight awards before his death in 1997.

The most Grammys won in a single night is eight -- a record shared by Michael Jackson (1984), and Carlos Santana (2000).

Christopher Cross (Grammy Awards of 1981) and Norah Jones (Grammy Awards of 2003) are the only artists to receive the "Big Four" (Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist) in a single ceremony.

Béla Fleck has been nominated in more categories than any other musician, namely country, pop, jazz, bluegrass, classical, folk, and spoken word, as well as composition and arranging.

Award categories

  • Record of the Year
  • Album of the Year
  • Song of the Year
  • Best New Artist
  • Grammy Hall of Fame
  • Grammy Legend Award
  • Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Grammy Tech Award
  • Grammy Trustees Award

Alternative

  • Best Alternative Music Album

Blues

  • Best Traditional Blues Album
  • Best Contemporary Blues Album

Children's

  • Best Album for Children
  • Best Musical Album for Children
  • Best Spoken Word Album for Children

Classical

  • Best Orchestral Performance
  • Best Classical Vocal Performance
  • Best Classical Performance, Operatic or Choral
  • Best Opera Recording
  • Best Choral Performance
  • Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with or without orchestra)
  • Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra)
  • Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra)
  • Best Small Ensemble Performance (with or without conductor)
  • Best Chamber Music Performance
  • Best Classical Contemporary Composition
  • Best Classical Album
  • Best Classical Crossover Album
  • Best New Classical Artist

Comedy

  • Best Comedy Album
  • Best Spoken Comedy Album

Composing and arranging

  • Best Instrumental Composition
  • Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (now in the "Film/TV/Media" field)
  • Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (now in the "film/TV/media" field)
  • Best Arrangement
  • Best Instrumental Arrangement
  • Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
  • Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices

Country

  • Best Female Country Vocal Performance
  • Best Male Country Vocal Performance
  • Best Country Performance, Duo or Group - Vocal or Instrumental
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
  • Best Country Instrumental Performance
  • Best Country & Western Recording
  • Best Country & Western Single
  • Best Country Song
  • Best Country Album
  • Best Bluegrass Album
  • Best New Country & Western Artist

Dance

  • Best Dance Recording (previously in "Pop")
  • Best Electronic/Dance Album

Disco

  • Best Disco Recording

Film/TV/Media

  • Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
  • Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (previously in the "composing and arranging" field)
  • Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (previously in the "composing and arranging" field)

Folk

  • Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording
  • Best Traditional Folk Album
  • Best Contemporary Folk Album
  • Best Native American Music Album
  • Best Hawaiian Music Album

Gospel

  • Best Gospel Performance
  • Best Gospel Performance, Traditional
  • Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary
  • Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Female
  • Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Male
  • Best Gospel Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus
  • Best Soul Gospel Performance
  • Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional
  • Best Soul Gospel Performance, Contemporary
  • Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female
  • Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male
  • Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male or Female
  • Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus
  • Best Inspirational Performance
  • Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
  • Best Rock Gospel Album
  • Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
  • Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album
  • Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album
  • Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album

Historical

  • Best Historical Album

Jazz

  • Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female
  • Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male
  • Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group
  • Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
  • Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
  • Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
  • Best Jazz Fusion Performance
  • Best Original Jazz Composition
  • Best Jazz Vocal Album
  • Best Contemporary Jazz Album
  • Best Latin Jazz Album

Latin

  • Best Latin Recording
  • Best Latin Pop Album
  • Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album
  • Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
  • Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album
  • Best Tejano Album
  • Best Salsa Album
  • Best Merengue Album
  • Best Salsa/Merengue Album

Musical Show

  • Best Musical Show Album
  • Best Sound Track Album or Recording of Original Cast From a Motion Picture or Television

Music Video

  • Best Short Form Music Video
  • Best Long Form Music Video
  • Best Concept Music Video
  • Best Performance Music Video
  • Video of the Year

New Age

  • Best New Age Album

Packaging and notes

  • Best Album Cover
  • Best Album Cover - Classical
  • Best Album Cover - Other Than Classical
  • Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts
  • Best Album Cover, Photography
  • Best Recording Package
  • Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
  • Best Album Notes
  • Best Album Notes - Classical

Polka

  • Best Polka Album

Pop

  • Best Vocal Performance, Female
  • Best Vocal Performance, Male
  • Best Performance by a Vocal Group
  • Best Performance by a Chorus
  • Best Performance by a Vocal Group or Chorus
  • Best Instrumental Performance
  • Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
  • Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
  • Best Contemporary (R&R) Solo Vocal Performance - Male or Female
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • Best Contemporary Performance by a Chorus
  • Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
  • Best Performance by an Orchestra - for Dancing
  • Best Performance by an Orchestra or Instrumentalist with Orchestra - Primarily Not Jazz or for Dancing
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance with Vocal Coloring
  • Best Contemporary Song
  • Best Pop Vocal Album
  • Best Pop Instrumental Album

Production and engineering

  • Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
  • Best Engineered Album, Classical
  • Best Engineered Recording - Special or Novel Effects
  • Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
  • Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
  • Producer of the Year, Classical
  • Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical

R&B

  • Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
  • Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
  • Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male or Female
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
  • Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
  • Best R&B Instrumental Performance
  • Best Urban/Alternative Performance
  • Best Rhythm & Blues Recording
  • Best R&B Song
  • Best R&B Album
  • Best Contemporary R&B Album

Rap

  • Best Rap Performance
  • Best Rap Solo Performance
  • Best Female Rap Solo Performance
  • Best Male Rap Solo Performance
  • Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
  • Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
  • Best Rap Song
  • Best Rap Album

Reggae

  • Best Reggae Album

Rock

  • Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
  • Best Male Rock Vocal Performance
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • Best Rock Instrumental Performance
  • Best Hard Rock Performance
  • Best Metal Performance
  • Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental
  • Best Rock Song
  • Best Rock Album

Surround Sound

  • Best Surround Sound Album

Spoken

  • Best Spoken Word Album
  • Best Spoken Comedy Album

Traditional Pop

  • Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

World

  • Best World Music Album
  • Best Traditional World Music Album
  • Best Contemporary World Music Album

Awards by year

Years reflect the year in which the awards were presented, for music released in the previous year.

Grammy Awards by year
1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006



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. Blige, Usher, Fantasia , Beyonce, Aretha Franklin, Donna Summer, Alicia Keys, Elton John, Celine Dion, Wyclef Jean, Babyface, Patti LaBelle, John Legend, Angie Stone, and Jamie Foxx. Years reflect the year in which the awards were presented, for music released in the previous year. The artists on this compilation include Stevie Wonder, Mary J. World. The album is a collection of some of Luther's songs performed by various artists. Traditional Pop. On September 20th the album "So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross" was released.

Spoken. In 2002, BET put the question to Vandross in an interview televised on its show Journeys in Black. Vandross refused to address questions of his sexuality, and instead told BET it was none of their business and separated his personal life from his professional one. Surround Sound. Vandross was as famous for keeping his personal life private as he was for his singing. Rock. The entertainer said his "busy lifestyle" made marriage difficult; and indicated that "it was not what he wanted.". Reggae. The "lifelong bachelor" never had any children, but doted on his nieces and nephews.

Rap. There have been many questions regarding Vandross' sexuality, mainly due to the fact that he remained a bachelor all of his life. R&B. He has been quoted as calling Vandross "a very worthy rival," and "one of the best singers in the music industry.". Production and engineering. However, since Vandross' death, Jackson's feelings have turned noticeably softer. Pop. Even some music critics joked, "Well, it's a shame that Luther Vandross and Freddie Jackson never did 'The Girl is Mine' together!".

Polka. When the song came out, Brandy was often compared to Vandross, and Monica was inserted into Jackson's role. Packaging and notes. Because of this, they are blamed for inspiring future rivalries in R&B/hip-hop music, especially that of Brandy and Monica, who recorded a duet called "The Boy is Mine" in 1998. New Age. Many times, Vandross and Jackson were very unfriendly to each other, and their encounters were often heated. Music Video. Vandross' best-known rivalry was the one with Freddie Jackson, which was started in the mid-1980s.

Musical Show. In later years, artists like Gerald Levert, James Ingram and Phil Collins shared friendly rivalries with him. Latin. In the early stages of his solo career, Vandross' rivals included Peabo Bryson, Teddy Pendergrass and Jeffrey Osborne. Jazz. It was with Beyoncé that he recorded yet another cover of a well-known song, "The Closer I Get To You", originally recorded by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. Historical. Besides Studdard, Vandross also inspired countless other artists, both male and female, such as Boyz II Men, Usher, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and Brandy.

Gospel. Vandross inspired his J Records labelmate, Ruben Studdard, the American Idol of 2003. Folk. His hit "Love Power" included snippets of the soul classic "The Power of Love." Another hit, "Bad Boy (Having a Party)," contained a passage from Sam Cooke's "Having a Party.". Film/TV/Media. Vandross did many covers of older songs, such as "Since I Lost My Baby" (originally recorded by The Temptations), "Superstar (Until You Come Back To Me)" (originally recorded by The Carpenters and most recently covered by Ruben Studdard), "Love Won't Let Me Wait" (originally recorded by Major Harris), "Always and Forever" (originally recorded by Heatwave), "Knocks Me Off My Feet" (originally recorded by Stevie Wonder), and "Lovely Day" (originally recorded by Bill Withers), and "A House is Not A Home", a Burt Bacharach standard. Disco. Vandross was inspired by the soul divas of the 1960s: Dionne Warwick, Patti Labelle & the Bluebells, Diana Ross & the Supremes and Aretha Franklin, for whom he eventually produced a few albums.

Dance. After two days of viewing, Vandross was buried in George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey. Country. His funeral was in New York on July 8, 2005. Composing and arranging. We lost Luther very early because of his medical condition, but his legacy will be a powerful legacy.". Comedy. Jesse Jackson, a friend of Vandross, described him as "a boy so mellow, so powerful; a boy of rare, rare vintage.

Classical. The Rev. Children's. It was reported that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends. Blues. At this time, the cause of death is not known, although hospital spokesman Rob Cavanaugh has said that Vandross never recovered from the 2003 stroke. Alternative. He was 54.

Béla Fleck has been nominated in more categories than any other musician, namely country, pop, jazz, bluegrass, classical, folk, and spoken word, as well as composition and arranging. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey. Christopher Cross (Grammy Awards of 1981) and Norah Jones (Grammy Awards of 2003) are the only artists to receive the "Big Four" (Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist) in a single ceremony. On the videotape on which Vandross appeared he sent an emotional message that said: "Whenever I say goodbye it's never for long because I believe in the power of love." Vandross died on July 1, 2005 at John F. The most Grammys won in a single night is eight -- a record shared by Michael Jackson (1984), and Carlos Santana (2000). (Although the cause of Vandross' stroke was not specifically attributed to diabetes, diabetics have been identified as being much more susceptible to strokes.) Although he appeared briefly on videotape at the 2004 Grammys to accept his Song of the Year award, he was never seen in public again. Conductor Sir Georg Solti holds the record for most Grammys won, having won a total of thirty-eight awards before his death in 1997. On April 16, 2003, Vandross suffered a stroke in his home in Manhattan.

Soul and R&B legend Aretha Franklin has won 11 awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, including 8 consecutive (and the first 8 ever awarded) awards in the category:. Luther Jr.'s two sisters and a brother also predeceased him. Legendary Opera Diva Leontyne Price has won 18 awards. was eight years old. Session drummer Hal Blaine played on six consecutive records which won Record of the Year:. His father, Luther Sr., died of complications from diabetes when Luther Jr. Metheny, as of the 2004 Grammy Awards, holds the record for Grammy wins in the most different categories:. His weight fluctuated several times over the years, and Vandross had weighed over 300 pounds (136 kg) at his heaviest.

Pat Metheny and the Pat Metheny Group have won 16 Grammys in total, including six consecutive awards for six consecutive albums. Vandross had diabetes, a disease that ran in his family, as well as hypertension. . The stars include Beyonce, Ruben Studdard, Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones submitted home videos or pictures of their families for the music video. The Grammys are currently broadcast on CBS. The video for the title track features a various celebreties alongside their dads and family members. So, for example, John Lennon & Yoko Ono's album Double Fantasy was released in November, 1980, a month-and-a-half too late to qualify for the 1981 Grammys, and thus eligible for the 1982 awards (it eventually won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year). The album was also the first album by Vandross to reach #1 on the Billboard album chart.

Unlike the Academy Awards, for which the eligibility period begins January 1, the eligibility period for the Grammys begins October 1, which results in September being considered the Christmas sales period for the music industry (in which artists generally release big albums to qualify for the next year's Grammy). The song also won Vandross his fourth and final award in the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance category. Of the "big three" music awards shows, the Grammys are the highest rated. The title track, which was dedicated to the memory of the younger Vandross' childhood dances with his father, won Luther and his co-writer, singer Richard Marx, the 2004 Grammy Award for Song Of The Year. In fact, many artists who are placed in high regard, artistically, by many fans and critics (such as Elvis Presley, Mariah Carey, Garth Brooks, Pink Floyd, Kenny Rogers, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, ) have been awarded very few Grammys. In 2003, Vandross released the album Dance With My Father in memory of his father. Hence, the Grammys are not taken seriously by some musicians and music fans. His first album on Clive Davis' new label, entitled Luther Vandross, was released in 2001, and it produced the hits "Take You Out," "Grown Thangs" and "I'd Rather.".

Some feel that because Grammy voters tend to vote conservatively, and are marketed to by record companies, the most widely-recognized Grammys tend to go to either well-established artists or those being hyped by the recording industry. After recording "I Know" on Virgin Records, he signed with J Records. The awards ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and some of the more prominent Grammys are presented in a widely-viewed televised ceremony. A second greatest hits album, released in 1997, compiled most of his 1990s hits and was his final record released through Epic Records. The awards are named for the trophy which the winner receives - a small gilded statuette of a gramophone, handcrafted by Billings Artworks. In the Grammy Awards of 1997, he won his third Best Male R&B Vocal for the track "Your Secret Love". Like the Oscars, the Grammys, which currently have 108 categories within 30 genres of music (such as pop, gospel, and rap), are voted upon by peers - voting members of the Recording Academy - rather than being based upon popularity (as with the AMAs) or sales and chart achievements (the BMAs). He also sang a duet with Frank Sinatra on Sinatra's Duets album.

However, the Grammys, usually held in February, (last of what are considered the "big three" music awards shows, including the BMA and AMA shows) are considered the approximate equivalent to the Oscars, in the music world. Vandross hit the top ten again in 1994 with "Endless Love", a duet with Mariah Carey and a cover of Lionel Richie and Diana Ross's hit song from the film Endless Love. The Grammy Awards (originally the Gramophone Awards), presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music Awards, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, make up the rest). In 1993, Vandross had a nonspeaking role in the Robert Townsend movie Meteor Man. He played a hit man who plotted to stop Townsend's title character. Best Contemporary World Music Album. In 1992, "The Best Things in Life are Free", a duet with Janet Jackson from the movie Mo' Money became a hit. Best Traditional World Music Album. He won his second Best Male R&B Vocal in the Grammy Awards of 1992 with the track "Power of Love/Love Power" winning the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song in the same year.

Best World Music Album. More albums followed in the 1990s, beginning with 1991's Power of Love which spawned two top ten pop hits. Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. His songs also became popular on smooth jazz radio. Best Spoken Comedy Album. In addition, the song allowed him to expand his musical horizons beyond R&B. Best Spoken Word Album. "Here and Now" became a staple at weddings, and on Soft AC radio.

Best Surround Sound Album. He also won his first award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in the Grammy Awards of 1991. Best Rock Album. The 1989 compilation of greatest hits, The Best Of Luther Vandross...The Best Of Love, included the ballad "Here And Now", the first Vandross single to chart in the Billboard pop chart Top Ten. Best Rock Song. (Franklin saw some moderate commercial success with those Vandross-produced tracks after a long chart absence.). Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental. He was also in demand as a producer; he was at the helm for Aretha Franklin's albums "Jump To It" and "Get It Right".

Best Metal Performance. He also sang duets with Dionne Warwick and Cheryl Lynn. Best Hard Rock Performance. During the 1980s, Vandross had two other singles that reached #1 on the R&B charts: "Stop to Love" in 1986 and a duet with Gregory Hines "There's Nothing Better Than Love". Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Vandross had more modest success on the pop charts during this time. Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Although the albums were very successful overall, many of his earlier albums made a much bigger impact on the R&B charts.

Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo. Vandross released a series of million-selling albums during the 1980s and continued his session work with guest vocals on groups like Charme in 1982. Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. Their 1980 hits, "The Glow of Love" and "Searching" led to a recording contract with Epic Records, and in 1981, he made his solo recording debut with the LP "Never Too Much." The album, which contained the track "A House is Not a Home" went double platinum, with the song "Never Too Much" reaching #1 on the R&B charts. Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. He eventually made his breakthrough as a guest singer with the group Change. Best Reggae Album. His lead vocals can be heard on the Gregg Diamond produced single "Hot Butterfly" from Bionic Boogie in 1978 which gained moderate nightclub success.

Best Rap Album. He created and/or sang jingles for such well known advertising campaigns as Kentucky Fried Chicken's "We Do Chicken Right," NBC's "Proud As A Peacock" & The US Army's "Be All You Can Be." Vandross continued his successful career as a popular session singer during the late 70's. Best Rap Song. Vandross also wrote and sang commercials jingles during the late 1970s & early '80s earning upwards of $600,000 per year around the New York area. Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Vandross bought back the rights to these albums after the record label dropped the group, preventing their later re-release. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The group had a successful single entitled "It's Good for the Soul," although their two albums - the self-titled "Luther" in 1976 and "This Close to You" in 1977 - failed to make an impact.

Best Male Rap Solo Performance. Before his breakthrough, he released two albums with a singing group he formed, also called Luther, on Cotillion Records. Best Female Rap Solo Performance. She believed he was an incredible talent who, in addition to his songwriting and production skills, deserved to be heard for his si. Best Rap Solo Performance. Roberta Flack pushed Vandross into starting his own career. Best Rap Performance. During the beginning of his career, Vandross was content to remain mostly in the background, as a producer and backup singer for other artists.

Best Contemporary R&B Album. Vandross also sang backing vocals for Roberta Flack, Carly Simon, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Chic, and Barbra Streisand. Best R&B Album. He ended up singing background vocals on Bowie's album Young Americans.. Best R&B Song. Vandross wrote "Everybody Rejoice," for the 1972 show The Wiz. However, Vandross had dropped out of the music scene when a friend from theater workshop invited him to sing in David Bowie's soul-influenced Diamond Dogs tour and appear as the opening act with the Mike Garson Band in 1974. Best Rhythm & Blues Recording. His next recording credit was on an album by Roberta Flack in 1972.

Best Urban/Alternative Performance. He was also a member of a theater workshop at the time and appeared on the first episode of Sesame Street in October 1969. Best R&B Instrumental Performance. His first recording credit was as producer of the album Soul Christmas in 1968 and appeared as a vocalist on a Quincy Jones album Best in 1969. Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Vandross formed a vocal group in high school which once played at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. He knew then that he wanted to be a singer.

Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male or Female. His life-changing moment came when at the age of 13 he heard Dionne Warwick sing Anyone Who Had A Heart (a song he would cover in his later years). Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. His sister sang with vocal group The Crests who had a number one hit in the early 1960's with "Sixteen Candles." Vandross' father died of diabetes when Vandross was eight years old. Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City, Vandross grew up in a musical family that moved to the Bronx when he was 13. Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical. .

Producer of the Year, Classical. He won four Grammy awards in 2004 including the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for the track "Dance With My Father," co-written with Richard Marx. Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. During his career, Vandross sold 25 million albums and won eight Grammy awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times. Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American R&B singer. Best Engineered Recording - Special or Novel Effects. ISBN: 0060594187.

Best Engineered Album, Classical. New York: Harper. Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. Luther : The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross. Best Pop Instrumental Album. (2004). Best Pop Vocal Album. 2004 "Dance with My Father" #38 US, #21 UK.

Best Contemporary Song. from Dance with My Father

    . Best Pop Instrumental Performance with Vocal Coloring. 2001 "Take You Out" #26 US. Best Pop Instrumental Performance. from Luther Vandross
      . Best Performance by an Orchestra or Instrumentalist with Orchestra - Primarily Not Jazz or for Dancing. 1996 "Your Secret Love" #14 UK.

      Best Performance by an Orchestra - for Dancing. from Your Secret Love

        . Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. 1995 "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (remix) (with Janet Jackson) #7 UK. Best Contemporary Performance by a Chorus. 1995 "Power Of Love - Love Power" (remix) #31 UK. Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. non-album-related remix singles
          .

          Best Contemporary (R&R) Solo Vocal Performance - Male or Female. 1995 "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" #22 UK. Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. 1995 "Always and Forever" #20 UK. Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. 1994 "Endless Love" (with Mariah Carey) #2 US, #3 UK. Best Instrumental Performance. from Songs

            .

            Best Performance by a Vocal Group or Chorus. 1993 "Love Is on the Way" #38 UK. Best Performance by a Chorus. 1993 "Heaven Knows" #34 UK. Best Performance by a Vocal Group. 1993 "Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)" #28 UK. Best Vocal Performance, Male. from Never Let Me Go

              .

              Best Vocal Performance, Female. 1992 "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (with Janet Jackson and special guests BBD & Ralph Tresvant) #10 US, #2 UK. Best Polka Album. from Mo' Money soundtrack

                . Best Album Notes - Classical. 1991 "Power of Love - Love Power" #4 US. Best Album Notes. 1991 "Don't Want to Be a Fool" #9 US.

                Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package. from Power of Love

                  . Best Recording Package. 1989 "Never Too Much" (remix) #13 UK. Best Album Cover, Photography. 1989 "Here and Now" #6 US. Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts. from The Best of Luther Vandross: The Best of Love
                    .

                    Best Album Cover - Other Than Classical. 1989 "She Won't Talk to Me" #30 US, #34 UK. Best Album Cover - Classical. 1988 "Any Love" #31 UK. Best Album Cover. from Any Love

                      . Best New Age Album. 1988 "I Gave It Up (When I Fell in Love)" #28 UK.

                      Video of the Year. 1988 "Give Me the Reason" (re-issue) #26 UK. Best Performance Music Video. 1987 "So Amazing" #33 UK. Best Concept Music Video. 1987 "I Really Didn't Mean It" #16 UK. Best Long Form Music Video. 1986 "Stop to Love" #15 US, #24 UK (1987 release).

                      Best Short Form Music Video. from Give Me the Reason

                        . Best Sound Track Album or Recording of Original Cast From a Motion Picture or Television. 1985 "'Til My Baby Comes Home" #29 US. Best Musical Show Album. from The Night I Fell in Love
                          . Best Salsa/Merengue Album. 1983 "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" #27 US.

                          Best Merengue Album. from Busy Body

                            . Best Salsa Album. 1981 "A House Is Not A Hime" #? US. Best Tejano Album. 1981 "Never Too Much" #33 US. Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. from Never Too Much
                              .

                              Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album. Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album. Best Latin Pop Album. Best Latin Recording.

                              Best Latin Jazz Album. Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Best Jazz Vocal Album. Best Original Jazz Composition.

                              Best Jazz Fusion Performance. Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group. Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.

                              Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group. Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male. Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female. Best Historical Album.

                              Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album. Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album. Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album.

                              Best Rock Gospel Album. Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album. Best Inspirational Performance. Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus.

                              Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male or Female. Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male. Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female. Best Soul Gospel Performance, Contemporary.

                              Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional. Best Soul Gospel Performance. Best Gospel Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus. Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Male.

                              Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Female. Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary. Best Gospel Performance, Traditional. Best Gospel Performance.

                              Best Hawaiian Music Album. Best Native American Music Album. Best Contemporary Folk Album. Best Traditional Folk Album.

                              Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording. Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (previously in the "composing and arranging" field). Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (previously in the "composing and arranging" field). Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.

                              Best Disco Recording. Best Electronic/Dance Album. Best Dance Recording (previously in "Pop"). Best New Country & Western Artist.

                              Best Bluegrass Album. Best Country Album. Best Country Song. Best Country & Western Single.

                              Best Country & Western Recording. Best Country Instrumental Performance. Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

                              Best Country Performance, Duo or Group - Vocal or Instrumental. Best Male Country Vocal Performance. Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices.

                              Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s). Best Instrumental Arrangement. Best Arrangement. Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (now in the "film/TV/media" field).

                              Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (now in the "Film/TV/Media" field). Best Instrumental Composition. Best Spoken Comedy Album. Best Comedy Album.

                              Best New Classical Artist. Best Classical Crossover Album. Best Classical Album. Best Classical Contemporary Composition.

                              Best Chamber Music Performance. Best Small Ensemble Performance (with or without conductor). Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra). Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra).

                              Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with or without orchestra). Best Choral Performance. Best Opera Recording. Best Classical Performance, Operatic or Choral.

                              Best Classical Vocal Performance. Best Orchestral Performance. Best Spoken Word Album for Children. Best Musical Album for Children.

                              Best Album for Children. Best Contemporary Blues Album. Best Traditional Blues Album. Best Alternative Music Album.

                              Grammy Trustees Award. Grammy Tech Award. Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Grammy Legend Award.

                              Grammy Hall of Fame. Best New Artist. Song of the Year. Album of the Year.

                              Record of the Year. 1988 - Aretha. 1986 - "Freeway of Love". 1982 - "Hold On, I'm Comin'".

                              1975 - "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing". 1974 - "Master of Eyes". 1973 - Young, Gifted, and Black. 1972 - "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

                              1971 - "Don't Play That Song". 1970 - "Share Your Love With Me". 1969 - "Chain of Fools". 1968 - "Respect".

                              1971 Simon & Garfunkel - "Bridge Over Troubled Water". 1970 5th Dimension - "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In". Robinson". 1969 Simon & Garfunkel - "Mrs.

                              1968 5th Dimension - "Up, Up and Away". 1967 Frank Sinatra - "Strangers in the Night". 1966 Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - "A Taste of Honey". Best New Age Album (2004).

                              Best Jazz Instrumental Solo (2001). Best Rock Instrumental Performance (1999). Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group (1998, 2000). Best Contemporary Jazz Performance/Album (1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2003).

                              Best Instrumental Composition (1991). Best Jazz Fusion Performance (1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1990).