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A.J. the DJ

Presenting a look at the world of music with tidbits, information, and sales history.

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           Music Timeline

Best Vocal Performances in the 1960’s
....according to the Grammys.

    Here are the Grammy Award winners for Best Vocal Performances during the 1960’s. As reflective in the awards, just like in music sales, this decade saw a dramatic shift in what became contemporary music as the younger audiences began exerting their influence and changed the entire scope of music

Year                 Male Performance                   Female Performance

1960                Ray Charles                                        Ella Fitzgerald
                   (Georgia on my Mind)                        (Mack the Knife)

1961                 Jack Jones                                          Judy Garland
                (Lollipops and Roses)                          (Judy at Carnegie Hall)

1962             Tony Bennett                                        Ella Fitzgerald
                (Left my Heart in SF)                         (Ella Swings/Nelson Riddle)

1963              Jack Jones                                          Barbra Streisand
                (Wives and Lovers)                            (Barbra Streisand Album)

1964          Louis Armstrong                                   Barbra Streisand
                    (Hello Dolly!)                                            (People)

1965              Frank Sinatra                                     Barbra Streisand
            (It Was a Very Good Year)                      (My Name is Barbra)

1966            Frank Sinatra                                           Eydie Gorme
            (Strangers in the Night)                        (If He Walked into My Life)

1967        Glen Campbell                                           Bobbie Gentry
    (By the Time I get to Phoenix)                           (Ode to Billy Joe)

1968        Jose Feliciano                                          Dionne Warwick
                (Light my Fire)                             (Do You Know the Way to San Jose)

1969      Harry Nilsson                                                     Peggy Lee
        (Everybody’s Talking)                                      (Is That all There Is?)

 

The Hits of the 60’s
...according to the Grammys

    The Grammys were heavily criticized in their early years for ignoring pop records and relying on more traditional, middle of the road music. No where is this more evidenced than in the awards given for some of the top honors.

    Here’s a look at the Song of the Year in the 1960’s. Remember that the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Elvis Presly, the Motown artists, and many others were burning up the charts in those years setting all kinds of records, although by the end of the decade, it was obvious that the shift started towards more popular music.

Song of the Year

  • 1960 Ernest Gold........Theme from Exodus
  • 1961 Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer.........Moon River
  • 1962 Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley.........What Kind of Fool Am I?
  • 1963 Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer..........Days of Wine and Roses
  • 1964 Jerry Herman.........Hello Dolly!
  • 1965 Paul Webster./Johnny Mandel........The Shadow of Your Smile
  • 1966 John Lennon/Paul McCartney..........Michelle
  • 1967 Jim Webb.......Up, Up and Away
  • 1968 Bobby Russel.......Little Green Apples
  • 1969 Joe South.......Games People Play

   
Judging from this list, it’s hard to believe that within ten years
the winner would be the Doobie Brothers.