Grammy Awards 1981

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The 23rd Grammy Awards ceremony took place on February 25, 1981.

The 1981 Grammy Awards were given in 59 categories and 18 different areas were recognized.

For the first time in Grammys history, a single artist, Christopher Cross , received all four awards in the main categories.

Main categories

Single of the year (Record of the Year):

Album of the Year:

Song of the Year:

  • Sailing by Christopher Cross

Best New Artist:

  • Christopher Cross

pop

Best female vocal performance - Pop (Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female):

Best Male Vocal Performance - Pop (Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male):

Best Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - Pop (Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals):

Best Pop Instrumental Performance - Pop :

skirt

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance - Rock (Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female):

Best Male Vocal Performance - Rock (Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male):

Best Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - Rock (Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals):

Best performance of a rock instrumentals ( Best Rock Instrumental Performance ):

Rhythm & Blues

Best female vocal performance - R&B (Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female):

Best Male Vocal Performance - R&B (Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male):

Best Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - Pop (Best R & B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals):

Best instrumental performance - R&B (Best R&B Instrumental Performance):

  • Off Broadway by George Benson

Best R&B Song (Best R&B Song):

Country

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance - Country (Best Country Vocal Performance, Female):

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance - Country (Best Country Vocal Performance, Male):

Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group (Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group):

Best Performance by a Country Instrumentals (Best Country Instrumental Performance):

Best Country Song (Best Country Song):

jazz

Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female (Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female):

Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male (Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male):

Best Jazz Instrumental performance, soloist (Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist):

Best Jazz Instrumental performance, Group (Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group):

  • We Will Meet Again by Bill Evans

Best Jazz Instrumental performance, Big Band (Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band):

Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Singing or Instrumental (Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental):

Gospel

Best traditional gospel performance (Best Gospel Performance, Traditional):

Best Contemporary or Inspirational Gospel Performance (Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary Or Inspirational):

  • The Lord's Prayer of the Archers, Cynthia Clawson, Andrae Crouch, Tramaine Hawkins, Walter Hawkins, Dony McGuire, Reba Rambo and BJ Thomas

Best Traditional Soul Gospel Performance (Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional):

  • Lord, Let Me Be An instrument by James Cleveland & the Charles Fold Singers

Best Contemporary Soul Gospel performance (Best Soul Gospel Performance, Contemporary):

Best Inspirational-performance (Best Inspirational Performance):

Latin

Best Latin Recording (Best Latin Recording)

Folk

Best Ethnofolk- or traditional folk recording (Best Ethnic Or Traditional Recording):

  • Rare Blues by various artists (Producer: Norman Dayron)

For children

Best Recording for Children (Best Recording For Children):

  • In Harmony - A Sesame Street Record by various artists (Producers: Lucy Simon , David Levine)

language

Best recording narration, documentary or drama (Best Spoken Word, Documentary or Drama Recording):

  • Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein by Pat Carroll

Comedy

Best Comedy Recording (Best Comedy Recording):

Musical show

Best Cast Show Album (Best Cast Show Album):

Composition / arrangement

Best Instrumental Composition (Best Instrumental Composition):

Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special: Best Original Music Album Written For A Movie Or A Television Special:

  • The Empire Strikes Back (Composer: John Williams)

Best Instrumental Arrangement (Best Instrumental Arrangement):

Best arrangement with vocal accompaniment (Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocals):

Best Vocal Arrangement (Best Arrangement For Voices):

Packages and album text

Best Album Package (Best Album Package):

  • Against The Wind by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

Best Album Notes:

  • Trilogy: Past, Present And Future by Frank Sinatra (Author: David McClintick)

Historical recordings

Best re-published historical album (Best Historical Album Reissue):

  • Segovia - The EMI Recordings 1927-39 by Andrés Segovia (Producer: Keith Hardwick)

Production and technology

Best technical recording without classical music (Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical):

Best Technical classical recording (Best Engineered Recording, Classical):

Producer of the Year (with no classic) (Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical):

Classical Producer of the Year (Classical Producer Of The Year):

Classical music

Best classical album (Best Classical Album):

Best classical orchestral recording (Best Classical Orchestral Recording):

Best Opera Recording (Best Opera Recording):

  • Berg: Lulu with Toni Blankenheim, Franz Mazura, Yvonne Minton, Teresa Stratas and the Orchester de l'Opéra National de Paris under the direction of Pierre Boulez

Best choral performance, classical (Best Choral Performance, Classical):

Best solo instrument performances with orchestra (Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists with Orchestra):

Best solo instrument performance without orchestra (Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists without Orchestra):

  • The Spanish Album by Itzhak Perlman

Best chamber music performance (Best Chamber Music Performance):

  • Music For Two Violins (Moszkowski: Suite for two violins) / Shostakowitsch: Duets / Prokofjew: Sonata for two violins by Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman

Best classical solo vocal performance (Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance):

Special Merit Awards

The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award was not awarded in 1981.

Trustees Award