GRAMMY WTF?  1963 Best Rock & Roll Recording. More: tomorrow.

The Grammy Awards are one of music’s most prestigious trophies. Since the inaugural ceremony in 1959, winners have spanned a vast array of musical styles and winners as diverse as Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Eminem and Lizzo. There have, however, been some instances where one can’t comprehend the outcomes and omissions. Caffè Lattè looks back on some of the most baffling moments and unsuccessful -yet influential- acts…

GRAMMY WTF?

BEST ROCK & ROLL RECORDING 1963

WINNER:

NOMINATED BETTER CHOICE:

It seems that the Academy struggled with defining what rock & roll music was. Despite breakthroughs by the likes of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and even The Beatles, awards were handed out to acts that weren’t even remotely rock ‘n’ roll.

Initially, an award was presented for Best Performance by a “Top 40” Artist. Wins for Nat King Cole and Ray Charles made sense then. The award was then named Best Rock And Roll Recording from 1962. Chubby Checker was the first recipient.

The following year, the Academy seems to have forgotten about the name change. Danish musician Bent Fabric scored an international hit with the instrumental “Alley Cat”. It was pop, but not even remotely rock ‘n’ roll.

Other nominees in the same category that year were much closer to rock and roll. Grammy voters would have been wiser to recognize any of the other 5 recordings: “You Beat Me To The Punch” (Mary Wells), “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” (Neil Sedaka), “Twistin’ The Night Away” (Sam Cooke), “Up On The Roof” (The Drifters) or “Big Girls Don’t Cry” (The Four Seasons). 

A win would have given any of the 6 nominated acts their only Grammy Award. Given the immense impact of Neil Sedaka, Sam Cooke, The Drifters and The Four Seasons, surely any of them would have been more deserving. Victory for Mary Wells would have recognized the influence of Motown Records. Bent Fabric only had the one major hit. 

The Academy seemed just as confused in 1964. The Beatles arrived in America and launched The British Invasion. Curiously, no Beatles song was nominated in this category. The Grammy went to “Deep Purple” by Nino Tempo & April Stevens; sweet pop, but not rock ‘n’ roll. 

NEVER WON A GRAMMY AWARD*:

*(excludes life achievement categories)

 

THE EVERLY BROTHERS

 Brothers Don and Phil Everly released a string of hit songs, fast becoming rock’s most successful duo in the formative years of rock and roll. The siblings’ catalogue has been covered by numerous artists. Among the Everlys’ hits are “Wake Up Little Susie”, “All I Have To Do Is Dream”, “Bye Bye Love”, “Walk Right Back” and “Cathy’s Clown”.

The brothers influenced acts as significant as The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, The Hollies, Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Beach Boys and The Bee Gees.

Despite achieving massive and enduring success, The Everly Brothers never received a Grammy Award. The duo was nominated four times. This was yet another case of the Academy neglecting to appreciate obvious talent.