The21st Annual Grammy Awards were held in 1979, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1978.^[1][2]

• Donna Summer &Andy Gibb - Record of the Year
• John Denver &Eubie Blake - Best New Artist
• Steve Martin - Best Pop Vocal Performance Male
• Dionne Warwick &Quincy Jones - Best R&B Performance Female
• Paul Williams &Frankie Valli - Best Pop Vocal Performance Female
• Glen Campbell &Tanya Tucker - Best Country Vocal Performance Duo/Group
• Kris Kristofferson &Rita Coolidge - Best Country Performance Male
• Neil Diamond - Album of the Year
• Lily Tomlin - Song of the Year

• Alicia Bridges -I Love the Nightlife
• Oscar Peterson
• Chuck Mangione -Feels So Good
• Eubie Blake -I'm Just Wild About Harry

• Record of the Year
  • Phil Ramone (producer) &Billy Joel for "Just the Way You Are"
• Album of the Year
  • Broadway Eddie,Richard Finch,Albhy Galuten,K.G. Productions,Ron Kersey,Arif Mardin,Bobby Martin,Bill Oakes,Freddie Perren,Karl Richardson,William Salter,Thomas J. Valentino (producers),Bee Gees,Ralph MacDonald,David Shire (producers and artists),Don Renaldo (conductor),Yvonne Elliman,K.C. and the Sunshine Band,Kool & the Gang,Walter Murphy,Tavares &Trammps forSaturday Night Fever Soundtrack
• Song of the Year
  • Billy Joel for "Just the Way You Are"
• Best New Artist
  • A Taste of Honey

• Best Recording for Children
  • Jim Henson (producer) forThe Muppet Show performed byThe Muppets

• Best Classical Orchestral Performance
  • Michel Glotz (producer),Herbert von Karajan (conductor) & theBerlin Philharmonic Orchestra forBeethoven: Symphonies (9) (Complete)
• Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance
  • Luciano Pavarotti forLuciano Pavarotti - Hits From Lincoln Center
• Best Opera Recording
  • George Sponhaltz,John Coveney (producers),Julius Rudel (conductor),Beverly Sills,Alan Titus & theNew York City Opera Orchestra forLehár: The Merry Widow
• Best Choral Performance, Classical (other than opera)
  • Georg Solti (conductor),Margaret Hillis (choir director) & theChicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus forBeethoven: Missa Solemnis
• Best Classical Performance Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with orchestra)
  • Eugene Ormandy (conductor),Vladimir Horowitz & theNew York Philharmonic forRachmaninoff: Con. No. 3 in D Minor for Piano (Horowitz Golden Jubilee)
• Best Classical Performance, Instrumental Soloist(s) (without orchestra)
  • Vladimir Horowitz forThe Horowitz Concerts 1977/78
• Best Chamber Music Performance
  • Itzhak Perlman &Vladimir Ashkenazy forBeethoven: Sonatas for Violin and Piano
• Best Classical Album
  • Christopher Bishop (producer),Carlo Maria Giulini (conductor),Itzhak Perlman & theChicago Symphony Orchestra forBrahms: Concerto For Violin in D

• Best Comedy Recording
  • Steve Martin forA Wild and Crazy Guy

• Best Instrumental Composition
  • John Williams (composer) for "Theme FromClose Encounters of the Third Kind"
• Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special
  • John Williams (composer) forClose Encounters of the Third Kind
• Best Instrumental Arrangement
  • Quincy Jones &Robert Freedman (arrangers) for "The Wiz Main Title - Overture Part One" performed by various artists
• Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s)
  • Maurice White (arranger) for "Got to Get You Into My Life" performed byEarth, Wind & Fire
• Best Arrangement For Voices
  • Bee Gees (arrangers) for "Stayin' Alive"

• Best Country Vocal Performance, Female
  • Dolly Parton forHere You Come Again
• Best Country Vocal Performance, Male
  • Willie Nelson for "Georgia on My Mind"
• Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • Waylon Jennings &Willie Nelson for "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"
• Best Country Instrumental Performance
  • Asleep at the Wheel for "One O'Clock Jump"
• Best Country Song
  • Don Schlitz (songwriter) for "The Gambler" performed byKenny Rogers

• Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording
  • Muddy Waters forI'm Ready

• Best Gospel Performance, Traditional
  • The Happy Goodman Family forRefreshing
• Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary or Inspirational
  • Larry Hart for "What a Friend"
• Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional
  • Mighty Clouds of Joy forLive and Direct
• Best Soul Performance, Contemporary
  • Andrae Crouch forLive in London performed byAndrae Crouch & the Disciples
• Best Inspirational Performance
  • B. J. Thomas forHappy Man

• Best Historical Repackage Album
  • Michael Brooks (producer) forTheLester Young Story, Vol. 3

• Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist
  • Oscar Peterson forOscar Peterson Jam - Montreux '77
• Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group
  • Chick Corea forFriends
• Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band
  • Mel Lewis &Thad Jones forLive in Munich^[3]
• Best Jazz Vocal Performance
  • Al Jarreau forAll Fly Home

• Best Latin Recording
  • Tito Puente forHomenaje a Beny More

• Best Cast Show Album
  • Thomas Z. Shepard (producer) & various artists forAin't Misbehavin'

• Best Album Package
  • Johnny B. Lee &Tony Lane (art directors) forBoys in the Trees performed byCarly Simon
• Best Album Notes
  • Michael Brooks (notes writer) forA Bing Crosby Collection, Vols. I & II performed byBing Crosby

• Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female
  • Anne Murray for "You Needed Me"
• Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male
  • Barry Manilow for "Copacabana (At the Copa)"
• Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
  • TheBee Gees forSaturday Night Fever Soundtrack
• Best Pop Instrumental Performance
  • Chuck Mangione forChildren of Sanchez

• Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical
  • Al Schmitt &Roger Nichols (engineers) for "FM (No Static at All)" performed bySteely Dan
• Best Engineered Recording, Classical
  • Arthur Kendy,Edward T. Graham,Ray Moore (engineers),Pierre Boulez (conductor) & theNew York Philharmonic forVarese: Ameriques/Arcana/Ionisation (Boulez Conducts Varese)
• Producer of the Year
  • TheBee Gees,Albhy Galuten &Karl Richardson

• Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female
  • Donna Summer for "Last Dance"
• Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male
  • George Benson for "On Broadway"
• Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus
  • Earth, Wind & Fire forAll 'n All
• Best R&B Instrumental Performance
  • Earth, Wind & Fire for "Runnin'"
• Best Rhythm & Blues Song
  • Paul Jabara (songwriter) for "Last Dance" performed byDonna Summer

• Best Spoken Word Recording
  • Orson Welles forCitizen Kane

• Grammy Awards ceremonies
• 1979 in California
• 1979 music awards
• 1979 in Los Angeles
• 1979 in American music
• 1979 awards in the United States
• February 1979 in the United States

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• Use mdy dates from February 2025