1963 Grammy Award Winners

Winners Announced: May 15, 1963
Televised: December 8, 1963
Held at: Chicago, Los Angeles and New York
Host: Frank Sinatra
Eligibility Year: December 1, 1961 – November 30, 1962

Musical Highlights and Achievements

• Vaughn Meader Stuns: A relatively unknown comic, Vaughn Meader took home the Album of the Year for The First Family, a comedy album parodying President Kennedy.
• Tony Bennett’s Big Night: Tony Bennett won Record of the Year for I Left My Heart in San Francisco, which became one of his signature songs.
• Pioneering Female Award: The first Best Female Pop Vocal Performance went to Ella Fitzgerald for Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson.
• Classical Milestone: Leonard Bernstein won multiple awards for his conducting, solidifying his place in classical music history.

Trivia

• Sinatra Double-Duty: Sinatra hosted both the Grammys and the Oscars in 1963, proving his versatility as an entertainer.
• Posthumous Honors: Country legend Patsy Cline, who had passed away earlier that year, was nominated posthumously.
• Mancini’s Continual Success: Henry Mancini, fresh off an Oscar win for “Moon River,” won a Grammy for Hatari!.
• Televised Delay: Although winners were announced in May, the ceremony wasn’t televised until December as “Best on Record.”
• Take our 1963 Quiz!

Record of the Year:
I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Tony Bennett

Album of the Year:
The First Family, Vaughn Meader (Cadence)

Song of the Year:
What Kind of Fool Am I, Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, songwriters

Best New Artist of 1962:
Robert Goulet

Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male:
I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Tony Bennett

Best Solo Vocal Performance, Female:
Ella Swings Brightly With Nelson Riddle, Ella Fitzgerald

Best Performance By a Vocal Group:
If I Had a Hammer, Peter, Paul and Mary

Best Performance By a Chorus:
Presenting the New Christy Minstrels, New Christy Minstrels

Best Rock and Roll Recording:
Alley Cat, Bent Fabric (Atco)

Best Rhythm and Blues Recording:
I Can’t Stop Loving You, Ray Charles (ABC)

Best Jazz Performance, Soloist or Small Group (Instrumental):
Desafinado, Stan Getz

Best Jazz Performance, Large Group (Instrumental):
Adventures in Jazz, Stan Kenton

Best Original Jazz Composition:
Cast Your Fate to the Winds, Vince Guaraldi, composer

Best Country and Western Recording:
Funny Way of Laughin’, Burl Ives (Decca)

Best Gospel or Other Religious Recording:
Great Songs of Love and Faith, Mahalia Jackson (Columbia)

Best Folk Recording:
If I Had a Hammer, Peter, Paul and Mary (Warner Bros.)

Best Performance By an Orchestra for Dancing:
Fly Me to the Moon Bossa Nova, Joe Harnell

Best Performance By an Orchestra or Instrumentalist With Orchestra, Not for Jazz or Dancing:
The Colorful Peter Nero, Peter Nero

Best Instrumental Arrangement:
Baby Elephant Walk, Henry Mancini, arranger

Best Background Arrangement:
I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Marty Manning, arranger

Best Instrumental Theme:
A Taste of Honey, Bobby Scott and Ric Marlow, composers

Best Original Cast Show Album:
No Strings, Richard Rodgers, composer (Capitol)

Album of the Year, Classical:
Columbia Records Presents Vladimir Horowitz, Vladimir Horowitz (Columbia)

Best Classical Performance, Orchestra:
Stravinsky, The Firebird Ballet, Igor Stravinsky conducting Columbia Symphony

Best Classical Performance, Chamber Music:
The Heifetz-Piatigorsky Concerts With Primrose, Pennario and Guests, Jascha Heifetz, Gregor Piatigorsky and William Primrose

Best Classical Performance, Instrumental Soloist(s) (With Orchestra):
Stravinsky, Concerto in D for Violin, Isaac Stern; Igor Stravinsky conducting Columbia Symphony

Best Classical Performance, Instrumental Soloist or Duo (Without Orchestra):
Columbia Records Presents Vladimir Horowitz, Vladimir Horowitz

Best Opera Recording:
Verdi, Aïda, Georg Solti conducting Rome Opera House Orchestra and Chorus; solos: Price, Vickers, Gorr, Merrill and Tozzi (RCA)

Best Classical Performance, Choral:
Bach, St. Matthew Passion, Philharmonia Choir, Wilhelm Pitz, choral director; Otto Klemperer conducting Philharmonic Orchestra

Best Classical Performance, Vocal Soloist (With or Without Orchestra):
Wagner, Götterdämerung Brunnhilde’s Immolation Scene; Wesendonck, Songs, Eileen Farrell; Leonard Bernstein conducting New York Philharmonic

Best Classical Composition By Contemporary Composer:
The Flood, Igor Stravinsky, composer

Best Comedy Performance:
The First Family, Vaughn Meader

Best Documentary or Spoken Word Recording (Other Than Comedy):
The Story-Teller: A Session With Charles Laughton, Charles Laughton (Capitol)

Best Recording for Children:
Saint-Saëns, Carnival of the Animals; Britten, Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein (Columbia)

Best Album Cover:
Lena… Lovely and Alive, Robert Jones, art director (RCA)

Best Album Cover, Classical:
The Intimate Bach, Marvin Schwartz, art director (Capitol)