Grammy Awards of 1959

The 1st Grammy Awards were held in 1959. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.

• Record of the Year
  • Domenico Modugno[?] for "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu"

• Album of the Year
  • Henry Mancini for The Music From Peter Gunn

• Song of the Year
  • Domenico Modugno[?] for "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu"

Childrens

• Best Recording for Children - Single or Album, Musical or Spoken[?]
  • Ross Bagdasarian Sr.[?] for "The Chipmunk Song" performed by David Seville & the Chipmunks

Classical

• Best Classical Performance, Operatic or Choral[?]
  • Roger Wagner[?] (choir director) for Virtuoso
• Best Classical Orchestral Performance[?]
  • Hollywood Bowl Orchestra[?] for Gaiete Parisienne conducted by Felix Slatkin[?]
• Best Classical Performance-Instrumental Soloist(s) (with orchestra)[?]
  • Van Cliburn[?] for Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23
• Best Classical Performance-Instrumental Soloist(s) (without orchestra)[?]
  • Andres Segovia for Segovia Golden Jubilee
• Best Chamber Music Performance[?]
  • Hollywood String Quartet[?] for Beethoven: Quartet 130
• Best Classical Vocal Performance[?]
  • Renata Tebaldi[?] for Operatic Recital

Comedy

• Best Comedy Performance Single or Album, Spoken or Musical
  • Ross Bagdasarian Sr.[?] for "The Chipmunk Song" performed by David Seville[?] & the Chipmunks[?]

Composing and arranging

• Best Instrumental Composition (other than Jazz)[?]
  • Nelson Riddle[?] for "Cross Country Suite"
• Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist or Instrumentalist[?]
  • Henry Mancini for The Music From Peter Gunn

Country

• Best Country & Western Performance[?]
  • The Kingston Trio[?] for "Tom Dooley"

Jazz

• Best Jazz Performance, Soloist[?]
  • Ella Fitzgerald for Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Duke Ellington Song Book
• Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group[?]
  • Count Basie for Basie

Musical Show

• Best Sound Track Album[?]
  • Andre Previn[?] for Gigi (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Best Musical Show Album[?]
  • Meredith Willson[?] (composer) for The Music Man performed by Robert Preston[?], Barbara Cook[?], David Burns[?], Eddie Hodges[?], Pert Kelton[?] & Helen Raymond[?]

Packaging and Notes

• Best Album Package - Incl. Album Cover, Graphic Arts, Photography[?]
  • Frank Sinatra for Only The Lonely

Pop

• Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
  • Ella Fitzgerald for Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Irving Berlin Song Book
• Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
  • Perry Como[?] for "Catch A Falling Star"
• Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • Keely Smith[?] & Louis Prima for "That Old Black Magic"
• Best Pop Instrumental Performance[?]
  • Billy May[?] for Billy May's Big Fat Brass
  • Count Basie for Basie

Production and engineering

• Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical[?]
  • Ted (Theodore) Keep[?] (engineer) for The Chipmunk Song performed by David Seville
• Best Classical Engineered Recording[?]
  • Sherwood Hall III[?] (engineer) for Duets with a Spanish Guitar performed by Laurindo Almeida[?] and Salli Terri[?]

R&B

• Best Rhythm & Blues Performance[?]
  • The Champs[?] for Tequila

Spoken

• Best Spoken Word or Non-musical Album[?]
  • Stan Freberg[?] for The Best Of The Stan Freberg Shows