1971 Grammy Award Winners
Winners Announced: March 16, 1971
Held at: Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, California
Host: Andy Williams
Eligibility Year: November 2, 1969 – October 15, 1970
Award Highlights and Musical Milestones
- Bridge Over Troubled Water Triumphs: The iconic duo Simon & Garfunkel walked away with six Grammys for their album Bridge Over Troubled Water, including Album of the Year.
- Country Breaks Through: Ray Stevens won Song of the Year for his heartwarming tune Everything Is Beautiful, showcasing the growing influence of country music in mainstream culture.
- A Cappella Magic: The Manhattan Transfer earned their first Grammy Award in the Best New Artist category, making waves with their unique a cappella stylings.
Trivia and Little-Known Facts
- Andy Williams, the Charming Host: Andy Williams, also known for his holiday specials, was the evening’s host, adding a touch of nostalgic elegance.
- Dynamic Duos: Simon & Garfunkel’s Album of the Year win was unusual for a duo, a trend that would become more frequent in the years to come.
- Eligibility Tweaks: Notice that the eligibility year cut-off changed, ending on October 15th instead of November. It would continue to shift in subsequent years.
- Take our 1971 Quiz!
1971 Grammy Winners
Record of the Year:
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel
Album of the Year:
Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon and Garfunkel (Columbia)
Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon and Garfunkel (Columbia)
Song of the Year:
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Paul Simon, songwriter
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Paul Simon, songwriter
Best New Artist of the Year:
Carpenters
Carpenters
Best Contemporary Song:
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Paul Simon, songwriter
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Paul Simon, songwriter
Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Male:
Everything Is Beautiful – Ray Stevens
Everything Is Beautiful – Ray Stevens
Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Female:
I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, Dionne Warwick
I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, Dionne Warwick
Best Contemporary Vocal Performance By a Group:
Close to You – Carpenters
Close to You – Carpenters
Best Contemporary Instrumental Performance:
Theme From Z and Other Film Music, Henry Mancini
Theme From Z and Other Film Music, Henry Mancini
Best Rhythm and Blues Song:
Patches – Ronald Dunbar and General Johnson, songwriters
Patches – Ronald Dunbar and General Johnson, songwriters
Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance, Male:
The Thrill Is Gone – B.B. King
The Thrill Is Gone – B.B. King
Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance, Female:
Don’t Play That Song – Aretha Franklin
Don’t Play That Song – Aretha Franklin
Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance By a Duo or Group:
Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time) – Delfonics
Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time) – Delfonics
Best Jazz Performance, Small Group or Soloist With Small Group:
Alone, Bill Evans
Alone, Bill Evans
Best Jazz Performance, Large Group or Soloist With Large Group:
Bitches Brew, Miles Davis
Bitches Brew, Miles Davis
Best Country Song:
My Woman, My Woman, My Wife – Marty Robbins, songwriter
My Woman, My Woman, My Wife – Marty Robbins, songwriter
Best Country Vocal Performance, Male:
For the Good Times – Ray Price
For the Good Times – Ray Price
Best Country Vocal Performance, Female:
Rose Garden – Lynn Anderson
Rose Garden – Lynn Anderson
Best Country Performance By a Duo or Group:
If I Were a Carpenter – Johnny Cash and June Carter
If I Were a Carpenter – Johnny Cash and June Carter
Best Country Instrumental Performance:
Me and Jerry, Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed
Me and Jerry, Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed
Best Gospel Performance (Other Than Soul Gospel):
Talk About the Good Times – Oak Ridge Boys
Talk About the Good Times – Oak Ridge Boys
Best Soul Gospel Performance:
Every Man Wants to Be Free – Edwin Hawkins Singers
Every Man Wants to Be Free – Edwin Hawkins Singers
Best Sacred Performance:
Everything Is Beautiful – Jake Hess
Everything Is Beautiful – Jake Hess
Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording:
Good Feelin’ – T-Bone Walker (Polydor)
Good Feelin’ – T-Bone Walker (Polydor)
Best Instrumental Arrangement:
Theme From Z – Henry Mancini, arranger
Theme From Z – Henry Mancini, arranger
Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s):
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Paul Simon, Arthur Garfunkel, Jimmie Haskell, Ernie Freeman and Larry Knechtel, arrangers
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Paul Simon, Arthur Garfunkel, Jimmie Haskell, Ernie Freeman and Larry Knechtel, arrangers
Best Instrumental Composition:
Airport Love Theme – Alfred Newman, composer
Airport Love Theme – Alfred Newman, composer
Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album:
Company, Stephen Sondheim, composer (Columbia)
Company, Stephen Sondheim, composer (Columbia)
Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special:
Let It Be, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, composers
Let It Be, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, composers
Album of the Year, Classical:
Berlioz, Les Troyens, Colin Davis conducting Royal Opera House Orchestra and Chorus; solos: Vickers, Veasey and Lindholm (Philips)
Berlioz, Les Troyens, Colin Davis conducting Royal Opera House Orchestra and Chorus; solos: Vickers, Veasey and Lindholm (Philips)
Best Classical Performance, Orchestra:
Stravinsky, Le Sacre du Printemps, Pierre Boulez conducting Cleveland Orchestra
Stravinsky, Le Sacre du Printemps, Pierre Boulez conducting Cleveland Orchestra
Best Chamber Music Performance:
Beethoven, The Complete Piano Trios, Eugene Istomin, Isaac Stern and Leonard Rose
Beethoven, The Complete Piano Trios, Eugene Istomin, Isaac Stern and Leonard Rose
Best Classical Performance, Instrumental Soloist(s) (With or Without Orchestra):
Brahms, Double Concerto (Concerto in A Minor for Violin and Cello), David Oistrakh and Mstislav Rostropovich
Brahms, Double Concerto (Concerto in A Minor for Violin and Cello), David Oistrakh and Mstislav Rostropovich
Best Choral Performance (Other Than Opera):
New Music of Charles Ives, Gregg Smith conducting Gregg Smith Singers and Columbia Chamber Ensemble
New Music of Charles Ives, Gregg Smith conducting Gregg Smith Singers and Columbia Chamber Ensemble
Best Opera Recording:
Berlioz, Les Troyens, Colin Davis conducting Royal Opera House Orchestra and Chorus; solos: Vickers, Veasey and Lindholm (Philips)
Berlioz, Les Troyens, Colin Davis conducting Royal Opera House Orchestra and Chorus; solos: Vickers, Veasey and Lindholm (Philips)
Best Vocal Soloist Performance, Classical:
Schubert, Lieder, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Schubert, Lieder, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Best Comedy Recording:
The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress, Flip Wilson (Little David)
The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress, Flip Wilson (Little David)
Best Spoken Word Recording:
Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Black Forum)
Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Black Forum)
Best Recording for Children:
Sesame Street, Sesame Street cast (Columbia)
Sesame Street, Sesame Street cast (Columbia)
Best Album Cover:
Indianola Mississippi Seeds, Robert Lockart, cover design; Ivan Nagy, photography (ABC)
Indianola Mississippi Seeds, Robert Lockart, cover design; Ivan Nagy, photography (ABC)
Best Album Notes:
The World’s Greatest Blues Singer, Chris Albertson, annotator (Columbia)
The World’s Greatest Blues Singer, Chris Albertson, annotator (Columbia)