
About The Show
This is truly the grand-daddy of all awards shows. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences recognizes outstanding musical achievements. The Grammys always prove to be a night of spectacle and performance that truly can't be missed.
Host: Garry Shandling
Date: February 21, 1990
City: Los Angeles
The Nominees
Album Of The Year
Best Album Notes
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Winner: Charlie Parker
Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve
- Bill Evans The Complete Fantasy Recordings
- Masters of Traditional Missouri Fiddling Now That's a Good Tune
- various artists, 1898-1964 Jazz Piano
- Various Artists American Musical Theater - Shows, Songs and Stars
Best Album Of Original Instrumental Background Score Written For A Motion Picture Or Television
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Winner:
Dave Grusin The Fabulous Baker Boys - Peter Gabriel Passion (music for The Last Temptation of Christ)
- John Williams Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
- James Horner Field of Dreams
- Sinfonia of London Orchestra (Danny Elfman) Batman
Best Album Package
Best Arrangement On An Instrumental
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Winner:
Dave Grusin Suite from The Milagro Beanfield War - Mel Lewis Orchestra Three in One
- Count Basie Orchestra The Count Basie Remembrance Suite
- Les Hooper Anything Goes
- Uptown String Quartet Extensions
Best Bluegrass Recording
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Winner:
Bruce Hornsby, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band The Valley Road - Johnson Mountain Boys At the Old Schoolhouse
- Eddie Adcock, Kenny Baker, Josh Graves, Jesse McReynolds The Masters
- Doug Dillard Band Hearbreatk Hotel
- Alison Krauss & Union Station Two Highways
- Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys Live at the Opry
Best Chamber Music Performance - Instrumental Or Vocal
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Winner:
Emerson String Quartet Bartok: 6 String Quartets - Emanuel Ax, piano; Isaac Stern, violin; Yo-Yo Ma, cello Shostakovich: Trio No. 2 for Violin, Cello and Piano in E Minor, Op. 67; and Sonata for Cello and Pi
- Shlomo Mintz, violin; Yefim Bronfman, piano Prokofiev: Violin Sonatas No. 1 in F Minor and No. 2 in D
- Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; Bruno Giuranna, viola Beethoven: String Trios (E Flat, Op. 3; Serenade in D, Op. 8; G, Op. 9, No. 1; D, Op. 9, No. 2; C, O
- Guarneri Quartet Beethoven: String Quartet No. 13 in B Blat; Grosse Fuge in B Flat
Best Choral Performance
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Winner:
Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; Atlanta Boys' Choir Benjamin Britten: War Requiem - Stephen Darlington conducting the Christ Church Cathedral Choir Vaughan Williams: Choral Music (Oxford Elegy, Flos Campi, etc)
- Trevor Pinnock conducting the English Concert Choir and English Concert Handel: Messiah
- John Eliot Gardiner conducting the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists Handel: Jephtha
- Leonard Slatkin conducting the London Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra; Richard Cooke, choral Elgar: The Kingdom
Best Classical Album
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Winner:
Emerson String Quartet Bartok: 6 String Quartets - James Levine conducting the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (solos: Lake, Moll, Morris, Norman, Behrens, Ludwig) Wagner: Die Walkure
- Herbert von Karajan conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 in C Minor
- Gerard Schwarz conducting the Seattle Symphony Hanson: Symphonies No. 1 in E Minor (Nordic) and No. 2 (Romantic); Elegy in Memory of Serge Koussevitsky
- Christoph von Dohnanyi conducting the Cleveland Orchestra. Garrick Ohlsson, piano Busoni: Piano Concerto in C (with Male Chorus)
Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist(s) With Orchestra
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Winner:
Yo-Yo Ma, cello (David Zinman conducting the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra) Barber: Cello Concerto, Op. 22; Britten: Symphony for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68 - Robert McDuffie, violin (Leonard Slatkin conducting the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra) W. Schuman: Violin Concerto; Bernstein: Serenade for Violin, Strings and Percussion (After Plato's S
- Viktoria Mullova, violin (Andre Previn conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2
- Gidon Kremer, violin (Charles Dutoit conducting the Boston Symphony) Gubaidulina: Offertorium
- David Shifrin, clarinet (Gerard Schwarz conducting the New York Chamber Symphony) Copland: Clarinet Concerto
Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist(s) Without Orchestra
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Winner:
Andras Schiff, piano Bach: English Suites, BWV 806-11 - Janos Starker, cello (Chicgeo Neriki, accompanyist) Popper: Romantic Cello Favorites
- Rudolf Firkusny, piano Martinu: Piano Sonata No. 1; Les Ritournelles; Fantasie et Toccata
- Krystian Zimerman, piano Chopin: 4 Ballades (Opp. 23, 38, 47, 52); Barcarolle, Op. 60; Fantasie, Op. 49
- Richard Goode, piano Beethoven: The Late Piano Sonatas (Opp. 101, 106, 109, 110, 111)
Best Classical Performance - Vocal Soloist
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Winner:
Dawn Upshaw, soprano (David Zinman conducting the Orchestra of St. Luke's) Knoxville: Summer of 1915 (music of Barber, Menotti, Harbison, Stravinsky) - William Sharp, baritone (Steven Blier, accompanist) William Sharp, Baritone
- Kathleen Battle, soprano (James Levine, accompanist) Schubert: Lieder
- Placido Domingo, tenor (Julius Rudel, accompanist) Puccini: The Unknown Puccini
- Placido Domingo, tenor; Kathleen Battle, soprano (James Levine conducting the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) Live in Tokyo 1988
Best Comedy Recording
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Winner:
Professor Peter Schickele, Greater Hoople Area Off-Season Philharmonic P.D.Q Bach: 1712 Overture and Other Musical Assaults - Sandra Bernhard Without You I'm Nothing
- Sam Kinison Wild Thing
- Andrew Dice Clay Dice
- Erma Bombeck Motherhood: The Second Oldest Profession
Best Contemporary Blues Recording
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Winner: Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
In Step
- Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; Witold Lutoslawski conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra track from Paul Shaffer's Coast to Coast - Koko Taylor
- Delbert McClinton Live from Austin
- Bobby Blue Band Midnight Run
- B.B. King King of the Blues: 1989
Best Contemporary Composition
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Winner:
Gidon Kremer, violin; Charles Dutoit conducting the Boston Symphony Different Trains - Passio (Paul Hillier conducting the Hilliard Ensemble and Western Wind Choir; solos: Michael George, John Potter) Passio
- Paul Hillier conducting the Hilliard Ensemble and Western Wind Choir; solos: Michael George, John Potter Partita
- Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; Witold Lutoslawski conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra Offertorium
- Kronos Quartet Chain 2
Best Contemporary Folk Recording
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Winner: Indigo Girls
Indigo Girls
- Tracy Chapman Crossroads
- Guy Clark Old Friends
- Gipsy Kings Bamboleo
- BeauSoleil Bayou Cadillac
Best Country & Western Instrumental Performance
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Winner:
Randy Scruggs, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Amazing Grace - Jerry Douglas If You've Got the Money (Honey, I've Got the Time)
- Asleep At The Wheel Black and White Rag
- New Grass Revival Big Foot
- John Hartford All I Got Is Gone Away
Best Country & Western Song
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Winner: Rodney Crowell
After All This Time
- k.d. lang, Ben Mink Luck in My Eyes
- John Hiatt She Don't Love Nobody
- Hank Williams Sr. There's A Tear in My Beer
- Clint Balck, Hayden Nicholas A Better Man
Best Country & Western Vocal Collaboration
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Winner:
Hank Williams Jr., Hank Williams Sr There's a Tear in My Beer - Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
- Nitty Ditty Dirt Band with Johnny Cash, Roy Acuff, Ricky Skaggs, Levon Helm, Emmylou Harris Will the Circle Be Unbroken
- Buck Owens, Ringo Starr Act Naturally
- Dwight Yoakam, k.d. lang Sin City
Best Country & Western Vocal Performance - Duo Or Group
Best Country & Western Vocal Performance - Female
Best Country & Western Vocal Performance - Male
Best Engineered Recording
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Winner: Linda Ronstadt
Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind
- Dave Grusin Migration
- Madonna Like A Prayer
- Tom Petty Full Moon Fever
- Paul McCartney Flowers in the Dirt
- Patti Austin, Dave Brubeck, Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown
Best Engineered Recording - Classical
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Winner:
Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and Atlanta Boys' Choir Britten: War Requiem - James Levine conducting the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and soloist Wagner: Die Walkure
- Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic; New York Choral Artists and Brooklyn Boys' Chorus; solo: Ludwig Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor
- Gerard Schwarz conducting the Seattle Symphony Hanson: Symphonies No. 1 in E Minor (Nordic) and No. 2 (Romantic); Elegy in Memory of Serge Koussevi
- Charles Dutoit conducting the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
Best Gospel Performance - Duo, Group, Choir Or Chorus
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Winner: Take 6
The Savior Is Waiting
- Petra On Fire!
- First Call O Sacred Head Now Wounded
- BeBe & CeCe Winans Heaven
- Mylon & Broken Heart Big World
Best Gospel Performance - Female
Best Gospel Performance - Male
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Winner: BeBe Winans
Meantime
- Larnelle Harris I Can Begin Again
- Michael W. Smith Holy, Holy, Holy
- Eddie DeGarmo Feels Good to Be Forgiven
- Russ Taff Farther On
- Wintley Phipps A Love Like This
Best Hard Rock Performance - Vocal Or Instrumental
Best Historical Album
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Winner: Chuck Berry
The Chess Box
- Various Artists Shows, Songs and Stars - American Musical Theater
- Nat King Cole & the King Cole Trio Nat King Cole and the King Cole Trio
- various jazz artists Blue Note 50th Annivesary Collection, Vols. 1-5, 1939-1989
- various artists, 1989-1964 Jazz Piano
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s)
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Winner:
Michele Pfeiffer My Funny Valentine from The Fabulous Baker Boys soundtrack - Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation
- Harry Connick, Jr. It Had to Be You from the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack
- Carly Simon Carlotta's Heart from the Working Girl soundtrack
- Carmen Bradford Bring on the Raindrops
Best Instrumental Composition
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Winner:
Sinfonia of London Orchestra The Batman Theme - James Horner Field of Dreams - track from Field of Dreams soundtrack
- Pat Metheny Group Letter from Home
- John Scott Who Framed Roger Rabbit Suite
- Chick Corea Akoustic Band Morning Sprite
Best Jazz Fusion Performance
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Winner:
Pat Metheny Group Letter from Home - Joe Sample Spellbound
- Terri Lyne Carrington Real Life Story
- Larry Carlton On Solid Ground
- Miles Davis Amandla
- John Patitucci On the Corner
Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Big Band
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Winner: Miles Davis
Aura
- McCoy Tyner Big Band Uptown/Downtown
- Count Basie Orchestra conducted by Frank Foster The Legend, The Legacy
- Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra The Definitive Thad Jones
- Duke Ellington Orchestra conducted by Mercer Ellington Music Is My Mistress
Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Group
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Winner:
Chick Corea Akoustic Band Chick Corea Akoustic Band - Branford Marsalis Trio Jeepy
- Yellowjackets The Spin
- Wynton Marsalis The Majesty of the Blues
- Andre Previn, Joe Pass, Ray Brown After Hours
Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Soloist
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Winner: Miles Davis
Aura
- Wynton Marsalis The Majesty of the Blues
- Chick Corea Sophisticated Lady
- John Patitucci Bessie's Blues
- Andre Previn After Hours
Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Duo Or Group
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Winner:
Dr. John, Rickie Lee Jones Makin' Whoopee - Ray Charles, Lou Rawls Save the Bones for Henry Jones
- Take 6 Like the Whole World's Watching
- Joe Williams, Marlena Shaw Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby
- James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie Get the Booty
Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Female
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Winner: Ruth Brown
Blues on Broadway
- Diane Schuur The Christmas Song
- Janis Siegel Short Stories
- Dee dee Bridgewater Live in Paris
- Anita O'Day In a Mellow Tone
Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Male
Best Latin Pop Performance
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Winner: Jose Feliciano
Cielito Lindo
- Dyango Suspiros
- Chayanne Chayanne
- Jose Luis Rodriguez Baila Mi Rumba
- Miguel Gallardo America
Best Metal Performance - Vocal Or Instrumental
Best Mexican-american Performance
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Winner: Los Lobos
La Pistola Y El Corazon
- Narciso Martinez The Father of Tex-Mex Conjunto
- Emilio Navaira & Rio Band Emilio Navaira and Rio Band
- Los Tigres Del Norte Corridos Prohibidos
- Peter Rubalcava Amanecer
Best Music Video - Short Form
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Winner: Michael Jackson
Leave Me Alone
- Trevor Rabin Something to Hold On To
- Mike & The Mechanics The Living Years
- Enya Orinoco Flow (sail Away)
- Hank Williams Jr., Hank Williams Sr. There's A Tear in My Beer
Best Musical Cast Show Album
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Winner:
Jason Alexander, Debbie Shapiro, Robert La Fasse, others Jerome Robbins' Broadway - James Holmes conducting the English National Opera Sondheim: Pacific Overtures
- Frank Zappa Broadway The Hard Way
- Broadway cast. Mbongeni Ngema, Hugh Masekela Sarafina! The Music of Liberation
Best New Age Performance
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Winner: Peter Gabriel
Passion - Music for The Last Temptation of Christ
- Mark Isham Tibet
- Enya Orinoco Flow (sail Away)
- Paul Winter Icarus
- Andreas Vollenweider Dancing with the Lion
Best Opera Recording
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Winner:
James Levine conducting the Metropolitian Opera Orchestra (solos: Lakes, Moll, Morris, Norman, Behrens, Ludwig) Wagner: Die Walkure - Simon Rattle conducting the London Philharmonic and Glyndebourne Chorus (solos: white, Haymon, Evans, Blackwell, Hubbard, Clarey, Baker) Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
- Seiji Ozawa conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra (solos: Ludwig, Behrens, Secunde, Ulfung, Hynninen) R. Strauss: Elektra
- Claudio Abbado conducting the Vienna Philharmonic (solos: Grundheber, Raffeiner, Langridge, Zednik, Haugland, Behrens) Berg: Wozzeck
- James Levine conducting the Dresden State Orchestra (solos: Freni, von Otter, Lang, Allen, Shicoff, Burchuladze, Senechal) Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin
Best Orchestral Performance
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Winner:
Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor - Gerard Schwarz conducting the Seattle Symphony Hanson: Symphonies No. 1 in E Minor (Nordic) and No. 2 (Romantic); Elegy in Memory of Serge Koussevi
- Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Copland: Appalachian Spring; Short Symphony; 3 Latin American Sketches; Quiet City
- Herbert von Karajan conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 in C Minor
- Charles Dutoit conducting the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
Best Polka Recording
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Winner:
Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra All in My Love for You - Walter Ostanek & His Band Any Time is Polka Time
- Pen Ohio Polka Pals Penn Ohio Polka Pals Souvenir Edition
- Gene Mendalski & the G-Men Moldie Oldie Golden Goodies
- Gordon Hartmann Polkaholic
Best Pop Instrumental Performance
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Winner: Neville Brothers
Healing Chant
- Earl Klugh Whispers and Promises
- Paul Shaffer Late Night
- Kenny G Breadline Blues
- Andreas Vollenweider Dancing with the Lion
Best Rap Performance
Best Recording For Children
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Winner:
Tanya Goodman The Rock-A-Bye Collection, Vol. 1 - Various Artists Oliver and Company/Story and Songs from the Motion Picture
- Raffi Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band
- Various Artists Bullfrogs and Butterflies - I've Been Born Again
- Eric Kunzel conducting the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra A Disney Spectacular (48 Favorite Disney Songs)
Best Reggae Recording
Best Rhythm & Blues Instrumental Performance
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Winner: Soul Ii Soul
African Dance
- Babyface It's No Crime
- Stix Hooper I Can't Get Enough of Your Love
- Omar Hakim Constructive Criticism
- Gerald Albright Bermuda Nights
Best Rhythm & Blues Song
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Winner:
Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff If You Don't Know Me by Now - Superwoman L.A. Reid, Babyface, Daryl Simmons
- Every Little Step L.A. Reid, Babyface
- When A Man Loves a Woman Calvin Lewis, Andrew Wright
- Miss You Much James Harris III, Terry Lewis
Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Duo Or Group
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Winner: Soul Ii Soul
Back to Life
- Deniece Williams, Natalie Cole We Sing Praises
- Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be
- Aretha Franklin, James Brown Gimme Your Love
- BeBe & CeCe Winans Celebrate New Life
Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female
Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Male
Best Rock Instrumental Performance
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Winner:
Jeff Beck, Terry Bozzio, Tony Hymas Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble Travis Walk
- Joe Satriani The Crush of Love
- Andy Summers A Piece of Time
- Steve Morse High Tension Wires
Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or Television
Best Soul Gospel Performance - Duo, Group, Choir Or Chorus
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Winner:
Daniel Winans & Choir Let Brotherly Love Continue - Commissioned Will You Be Ready?
- L.A. Mass Choir Can't Hold Back
- Rev. Milton Brunson & the Thompson Community Singers Available to You
- Minister Thomas Whitfield & Thomas Whitfield Company And They Sang a Hymn
Best Soul Gospel Performance - Male Or Female
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Winner: Al Green
As Long As We're Together
- Daniel Winans You Got a Choice to Make
- Beau Williams Wonderful
- Vickie Winans Total Victory
- Albertina Walker My Time Is Not Over
Best Spoken Word Or Nonmusical Recording
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Winner:
Gilda Radner It's Always Something - Robert Fulghum All I Really Need to Now I Learned in Kindergarten
- John Gielgud Sir John Gielgud Reads Alice in Wonderland
- Jason Robards, Steve Allen, Douglas Edwards The War of the Worlds 50th Anniversay Production
- Erma Bombeck I Want to Grow Hair, I Want to Grow Up, I Want to Go to Boise
Best Traditional Blues Recording
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Winner:
John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt I'm in the Mood - Willie Dixon Ginger Ale Afternoon
- Ruth Brown If I Can't Sell It, I'll Keep Sittin' on It
- Memphis Slim Memphis Blues: The Paris Sessions
- John Lee Hooker The Healer
Best Traditional Folk Recording
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Winner:
Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Choir Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares, Vol. 2 - various American Indian tribes American Indian Dance Theatre
- Norman & Nancy Blake Blind Dog
- Master of Traditional Missouri Fiddling Now That's a Good Time
- Cajun Tradition A la Veille Facon
Best Tropical Latin Performance
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Winner:
Celia Cruz, Ray Barretto Ritmo en el Corazon - Willie Colon Top Secrets/Altos Secretos
- Ray Barretto Irresistible
- Eddie Palmieri Azucar
- Wilfrido Vargas Animation
Classical Producer Of The Year
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Winner:
Robert Woods - Michael Haas
- Wolf Erichson
- Elizabeth Ostrow
- Patti Laursen
Hall Of Fame
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Winner:
Oscar Levant, Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue -
Winner: Ray Charles
I've Got a Woman
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Winner:
Original Cast and Broadway Revival Cast; Todd Duncan, Anne Brown Gershwin: Porgy & Bess Highlights, Volumes 1 & 2 -
Winner:
Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra Black, Brown and Beige -
Winner:
Dimitri Mitropoulos conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra; Mack Harrell, Eileen Farrell Berg: Wozzeck -
Winner: Chuck Berry
Roll Over Beethoven
Lifetime Achievement Awards
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Winner:
Leontyne Price -
Winner: Bessie Smith
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Winner:
Jascha Heifetz -
Winner: Sarah Vaughan
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Winner: Lena Horne
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Winner:
Pablo Casals -
Winner: Dizzy Gillespie
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Winner:
Art Tatum -
Winner: Fred Astaire
Pop Female Vocalist
Pop Male Vocalist
Pop Vocal Group
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Winner:
Linda Ronstadt, Aaron Neville Don't Know Much - Mike & The Mechanics The Living Years
- Fine Young Cannibals She Drives Me Crazy
- B-52s Love Shack
- Simply Red If You Don't Know Me By Now
Producer Of The Year
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Winner:
Peter Asher - Emilio Estefan Jr., Jorge Casas, Clay Ostwald
- Tears for Fears, David Bascombe
- L.A. Reid, Babyface
- Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Janet Jackson
- Prince
Record Of The Year
Rock Male Vocalist
Rock Vocal Group
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Winner: Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Volume I
- U2, B.B. King When Love Comes to Town
- U2 Rattle and Hum
- Rolling Stones Mixed Emotions
- Living Colour Glamour Boys
Song Of The Year
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Winner:
Larry Henley, Jeff Silbar Wind Beneath My Wings - Mike Rutherford, Brian A. Robertson The Living Years
- Don Henley, Bruce Hornsby The End of Innocence
- Billy Joel We Didn't Start The Fire
- Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Tom Snow Don't Know Much
Trustees Award
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Winner:
Dick Clark










