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Kenny Rogers

 
 
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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Kenny Rogers Win Best Country Vocal Performance For "Lucille" At The 20th GRAMMYs

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Written by Roger Bowling and Hal Bynum, the gentle country ballad was released in Jan. 1977 as the second and final single from Rogers' sophomore release, the self-titled 'Kenny Rogers'
GRAMMYs
Aug 21, 2020 - 6:59 am

In 1977, country great Kenny Rogers had released his second solo studio album after leaving The First Edition in 1976. Come the 1978 GRAMMY Awards, Rogers famously took home his very first golden gramophone: Best Country Vocal Performance, Male, for his hit single "Lucille." 

Written by Roger Bowling and Hal Bynum, the gentle country ballad was released in Jan. 1977 as the second and final single from Rogers' aforementioned sophomore release, the self-titled Kenny Rogers. 

"I'm so glad I bought a new tux!" Rogers said jovially while accepting his GRAMMY. "This is really exciting for me. First of all, I would like to say that all of guys nominated are very good friends of mine, and that is equally important to me as being nominated."

Watch Kenny Rogers Win For "Lucille" In 1978

Credited as one of the key artists to take country music to mainstream audiences in the '70s and '80s, Rogers, who passed away in March of this year, was one of the best-selling music artists of all time, counting more than 100 million records sold worldwide. Across his nearly six-decade career, he recorded and performed music across multiple genres, including rock 'n' roll, psychedelic rock, folk and country, and topped multiple genre charts in the U.S. 

According to Billboard, Rogers notched 21 No. 1 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart and 12 chart-toppers on the Top Country Albums chart. His 1980 career-retrospective compilation album, Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits, topped the all-genre Billboard 200 chart the year it was released, becoming his sole No. 1 release on that chart. He scored two No. 1 hit songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. with "Lady," his 1980 song written and produced by Lionel Richie, and "Islands In The Stream," his 1983 Bee Gees-penned duet with Dolly Parton. 

In addition to his three GRAMMY wins and 19 overall nominations, Rogers received the Recording Academy's President's Merit Award in 1986. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame in 2013. He received the Country Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 and the Artist Of A Lifetime Award at the CMT Artists Of The Year 2015 award show, among many other lifetime awards and honors, according to his official bio.

Watch Rogers' history-making GRAMMY moment above.

Kenny Rogers, Country Music Icon And Actor, Dies At 81

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Zac Brown Band at the 2010 GRAMMYs

Zac Brown Band at the 2010 GRAMMYs

 
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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Zac Brown Band Win Best New Artist At The 2010 GRAMMYs

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Following the release of their major-label debut single, "Chicken Fried," and the subsequent album, 'The Foundation,' the Georgia country outfit had arrived
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jul 31, 2020 - 9:57 am

Let's take a trip back to the 2010 GRAMMYs, when Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" was crowned Song Of The Year, Taylor Swift's Fearless snagged Album Of The Year and Zac Brown Band earned the coveted Best New Artist win.

For the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, GRAMMY.com celebrates frontman Zac Brown's 42nd birthday today (July 31) by revisiting the country rock band's first-ever GRAMMY win.

Zac Brown Band Win Best New Artist

Watch as Brown and bandmates Jimmy De Martini, John Driskell Hopkins, Coy Bowles and Chris Fryar accept their Best New Artist win, fittingly presented by GRAMMY-winning country superstar Keith Urban, with big smiles. (Then-newest member Clay Cook is represented by a printout of his face).

Watch: GRAMMY Rewind: Jennifer Lopez (In The Green Versace Dress) & David Duchovny Present Best R&B Album At The 2000 GRAMMYs

"There's so many people that we wanna thank, and it's such an honor to be on this stage," Brown said as he proudly held the golden gramophone. The band was able to take a moment to thank just about everyone that was a part of their breakthrough year—right before the exit music began to play.

The beloved Georgia group beat out fellow 2010 Best New Artist nominees Keri Hilson, MGMT, Silversun Pickups and The Ting Tings.

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Later in the evening, Zac Brown Band also made their GRAMMY stage performance debut, playing a medley of "America The Beautiful," "Dixie Lullaby" and their breakout No. 1 country hit, "Chicken Fried," alongside GRAMMY-winning songwriting/guitar legend Leon Russell.

That same year, Zac Brown Band were also nominated for Best Country Album for their 2008 major-label debut LP, The Foundation, and Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for "Chicken Fried."

Since their big night, they have won two more GRAMMYs, for a grand total of three career GRAMMYs to date. They received three more nominations at the 2011 GRAMMYs, when they took home their second win for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for "As She's Walking Away" featuring Alan Jackson.

Happy birthday, Zac!

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Carrie Underwood at the 2007 GRAMMYs

Carrie Underwood at the 2007 GRAMMYs

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GRAMMY Rewind: Carrie Underwood Wins Best New Artist At The 2007 GRAMMYs

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For the latest edition of GRAMMY Rewind, we look back at the country star's Best New Artist win at the 49th GRAMMY Awards in 2007
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Sep 18, 2020 - 11:08 am

For the latest edition of GRAMMY Rewind, we look back at country queen Carrie Underwood's Best New Artist win at the 49th GRAMMY Awards in 2007. Watch her full acceptance speech for the big win below.

"This is absolutely unbelievable. I love country music, first of all!" she said with a big smile.

Carrie Underwood Wins Best New Artist In 2007

In 2005, Underwood won the fourth season of "American Idol," making her a household name. Later that year, she would go on to release her first two (hit) singles and her debut album, Some Hearts, on Arista Nashville. The LP was also a hit, earning the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart.

Following that whirlwind breakthrough year, Underwood was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance, for her second-ever single, "Jesus, Take The Wheel." She won both categories and has been an unstoppable musical force in country ever since.

The "Cry Pretty" singer has gone on to earn seven total GRAMMYs to date. She won her third GRAMMY just the following year, earning Best Female Country Vocal Performance again, for her massive single "Before He Cheats."

GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Carrie Underwood Perform "Before He Cheats" At The 2008 GRAMMYs

Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand at the 1978 GRAMMYs

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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Barbra Streisand Win A GRAMMY For 'A Star Is Born'

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Happy birthday, Babs! Find out which golden gramophones the essential pop songstress/actor took home in 1978
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Apr 24, 2020 - 1:46 pm

Long before Lady Gaga stole our hearts as Ally in A Star Is Born (2018), another eternal pop queen/actor, Barbra Streisand, won over audiences—and the Recording Academy voting members—with her lead role in the 1976 film of the same name.

Today, April 24, we celebrate the Oscar- and GRAMMY-winning Funny Girl's birthday by taking a look back at her 1978 GRAMMY wins for the film's No. 1 single, "Love Theme From A Star Is Born (Evergreen)." Watch her star in the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind below and read on to learn more about her two wins that evening for the "Shallow" of the '70s.

GRAMMY Rewind: Barbra Streisand

At the 20th GRAMMY Awards, Streisand, already a four-time GRAMMY winner, accepts her award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance to a raucous standing ovation, seeming genuinely flattered and grateful.

"Actually, I'm really surprised, I really am. It's funny, you know, I know I've won four GRAMMYs, but I didn't remember for what because it was such a long time ago," she says with her infectious smile and a shake of her head. It's just such a knockout to me to win one of these again. I really want to thank you all, thank you I love you too."

Read: Barbra Streisand's golden debut in "Funny Girl"

That evening, she also earned a sixth golden gramophone, as "Love Theme From A Star Is Born (Evergreen)" also won the coveted Song Of The Year award. She co-wrote the hit ballad with songwriter/composer/actor Paul Williams for the film and it's hit soundtrack. It also won Best Original Song at the 1977 Oscars, making Streisand the first woman to win an Oscar as a composer. The film also won four Golden Globes in 1977, including Best Motion Picture, Musical Or Comedy and Best Actress, Musical Or Comedy, the latter for its loveable star.

The GRAMMY-nominated A Star Is Born soundtrack was massively successful, led by the acclaim of the film and the award-winning track, coming in at No. 3 on the year-end Billboard album chart. It was only two behind timeless LPs; Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life.

Watch: GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Paul McCartney Accept The GRAMMY For Best Original Score At The 1971 GRAMMYs

To date, the Brooklyn-born vocal powerhouse has won eight GRAMMYs, plus the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 and GRAMMY Legend Award in 1992.

She earned her first GRAMMY nominations and wins in 1964 at the 6th GRAMMY Awards, taking home two trophies (Album Of The Year and Best Female Vocal Performance) for her debut project, The Barbra Streisand Album.

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GRAMMY Rewind: Esperanza Spalding

Esperanza Spalding

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GRAMMY Rewind: Esperanza Spalding Elatedly Wins Best New Artist In 2011

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In the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, watch jazz singer/bassist/composer Esperanza Spalding win Best New Artist in 2011 while visibly on cloud nine
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Apr 9, 2021 - 9:30 am

It’s fascinating to revisit the tableau of Best New Artist nominees back in 2011—Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence & The Machine, Mumford & Sons. Especially when John Legend announces jazz luminary Esperanza Spalding’s underdog victory.

Spalding is visibly touched and elated by the win. "Thank you to the Academy for even nominating me in this category," she says, beaming, with a hint of awe. Spalding then goes on to shout out everyone who made this possible—including her family, colleagues and teachers.

Esperanza Spalding Wins Best Jazz Vocal Album

In the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, revisit this quintessential GRAMMY moment where Spalding delivers a heartfelt speech and kicks off the rest of her career.

Check out the video above and watch more episodes of GRAMMY Rewind here.

GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Nancy Wilson Stoically Win Best Jazz Vocal Album For 'R.S.V.P.' In 2005