[1972 Grammy Awards] – Complete List of Winners and Nominees (14th) ♪

[1972 Grammy Awards] – Complete List of Winners and Nominees (14th) ♪

On March 15, 1972, the 14th Grammy Awards celebrated musical achievements from October 1, 1970, to September 30, 1971. Carole King's seminal album Tapestry was the undeniable star of the night, dominating by winning Album of the Year, while its evocative track "It's Too Late" also secured Record of the Year.
Carly Simon, another influential singer-songwriter of the era, was recognized as Best New Artist. Bill Withers also received accolades for "Ain't No Sunshine." This ceremony profoundly highlighted the power and ascendancy of the singer-songwriter movement, which was at its artistic and commercial peak.
It showcased a shift towards intimate, introspective, and lyrically profound music that resonated deeply with listeners, demonstrating the Grammys' recognition of authenticity and personal expression in popular music.

Record Of The Year

ArtistWork
🏆Carole KingIt's Too Late
James TaylorYou've Got A Friend
Isaac HayesTheme From Shaft
George HarrisonMy Sweet Lord
Three Dog NightJoy To The World

Album Of The Year

ArtistWork
🏆Carole KingTapestry
Isaac HayesShaft
London ProductionJesus Christ Superstar
CarpentersCarpenters
George HarrisonAll Things Must Pass

Song Of The Year

ArtistWork
🏆Carole KingYou've Got A Friend
Bakersfield BrassRose Garden
Janis JoplinMe And Bobby Mc Gee
Perry ComoIt's Impossible
Sammi SmithHelp Me Make It Through The Night

Best New Artist Of The Year

Artist
🏆Carly Simon
Chase
Hamilton, Joe Frank And Reynolds
Emerson, Lake And Palmer
Bill Withers

Best Instrumental Arrangement

ArtistWork
🏆Johnny Allen & Isaac Hayes, arrangers (Isaac Hayes)Theme From Shaft
Michel Legrand, arranger (Michel Legrand)Theme From Summer Of '42
Don Sebesky, arranger (Hubert Laws)The Rite Of Spring
Joshua Rifkin, arranger (Joshua Rifkin)Nightingale II
Michel Colombier, arranger (Michel Colombier)Earth

Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)

ArtistWork
🏆Paul McCartney, arranger (Paul & Linda McCartney)Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
David Van De Pitte, arranger (Marvin Gaye)What's Going On
Richard Carpenter, arranger (The Carpenters)Superstar
Burt Bacharach & Pat (Patrick) Williams, arrangers (B. J. Thomas)Long Ago Tomorrow
Michel Colombier, arranger (Bill Medley)Freedom And Fear

Best Engineered Recording - Non-Classical

ArtistWork
🏆Henry Bush, Ron Capone & Dave Purple, engineers (Isaac Hayes)Theme From Shaft
Larry Levine & Roger Roche, engineers (Michel Colombier)Wings
Bones Howe, engineer (5th Dimension)The 5th Dimension/Live!!
Armin Steiner, engineer (Neil Diamond)Stones
Richard Bogert & Ray Gerhardt, engineers (Carpenters)Carpenters

Best Album Cover

ArtistWork
🏆Gene Brownell, photographer; Dean O. Torrence, art director (Pollution)Pollution
Vincent J. Biondi, art director (The Camarata Contemporary Chamber Orchestra)The Music Of Erik Satie: Through A Looking Glass
Andy Warhol, photographer (The Rolling Stones)Sticky Fingers
Terry Paul, photographer; Ed Thrasher, art director (Mason Williams)Sharepickers
Ed Thrasher, art director (Various Artists)Hot Platters
Norman Seeff, art director (Jimmy McGriff)Black Pearl
Nick Sangiamo, photographer (Jefferson Airplane)Bark
Norman Seeff, photographer; John Berg, art director (Blood, Sweat And Tears)B, S And T; 4

Best Album Notes

ArtistWork
🏆Sam Samudio, album notes writer (Sam Samudio)Sam, Hard And Heavy
George T. Simon, album notes writer (Benny Goodman)This Is Benny Goodman
Don De Micheal, album notes writer (Louis Armstrong)The Genius Of Louis Armstrong
Joshua Rifkin, album notes writer (Joshua Rifkin)Piano Rags By Scott Joplin
James Lyons, album notes writer (Konstantin Simonovitch)Music Of Varese
Colman Andrews, album notes writer (Miles Davis)Miles Davis
Nat Hentoff, album notes writer (Louis Armstrong)Louis Armstrong July 4, 1900 - July 6, 1971
Tom West, album notes writer (Charlie Walker)Honky Tonkin' With Charlie Walker

Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female

ArtistWork
🏆Carole KingTapestry
Joan BaezThe Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
Carly SimonThat's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be
Janis JoplinMe And Bobby Mc Gee
CherGypsies, Tramps And Thieves

Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male

ArtistWork
🏆James TaylorYou've Got A Friend
Perry ComoIt's Impossible
Gordon LightfootIf You Could Read My Mind
Neil DiamondI Am, I Said
Bill WithersAin't No Sunshine

Best Pop Vocal Performance By Duo, Group Or Chorus

ArtistWork
🏆CarpentersCarpenters
Three Dog NightJoy To The World
London ProductionJesus Christ Superstar
Bee GeesHow Can You Mend A Broken Heart
Sonny And CherAll I Ever Need Is You

Best Pop Instrumental Performance

ArtistWork
🏆Quincy JonesSmackwater Jack
Peter NeroTheme From Summer Of '42
Michel LegrandTheme From Summer Of '42
Henry ManciniTheme From Love Story
Burt BacharachBurt Bacharach

Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female

ArtistWork
🏆Aretha FranklinBridge Over Troubled Water
Janis JoplinPearl
Jean KnightMr. Big Stuff
Diana RossI Love You (Call Me)
Freda PayneContact

Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male

ArtistWork
🏆Lou RawlsA Natural Man
Stevie WonderWe Can Work It Out
Isaac HayesNever Can Say Goodbye
Marvin GayeInner City Blues (Make You Wanna Holler)
B.B. KingAin't Nobody Home

Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Group

ArtistWork
🏆Ike & Tina TurnerProud Mary
Roberta Flack And Donny HathawayYou've Got A Friend
Isaac HayesTheme From Shaft (Instrumental)
The Staple SingersRespect Yourself
Gladys Knight And The PipsIf I Were Your Woman

Best Rhythm & Blues Song

ArtistWork
🏆Bill WithersAin't No Sunshine
Undisputed TruthSmiling Faces Sometimes
Isaac HayesNever Can Say Goodbye
Jean KnightMr. Big Stuff
Gladys Knight And The PipsIf I Were Your Woman

Best Soul Gospel Performance

ArtistWork
🏆Shirley CaesarPut Your Hand In The Hand Of The Man From Galilee
Valerie SimpsonThere Is A God
Blind Boys Of AlabamaThe Five Blind Boys Of Alabama
Dottie RamboPass Me Not
Clara WardGreat Moments In Gospel

Best Country Vocal Performance, Female

ArtistWork
🏆Sammi SmithHelp Me Make It Through The Night
Dolly PartonJoshua
Lynn AndersonHow Can I Unlove You
Jody MillerHe's So Fine
Tammy WynetteGood Lovin'

Best Country Vocal Performance, Male

ArtistWork
🏆Jerry ReedWhen You're Hot, You're Hot
Johnny PaycheckShe's All I Got
Charley PrideKiss An Angel Good Morning
Ray PriceI Won't Mention It Again
Freddie HartEasy Loving

Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group

ArtistWork
🏆Conway Twitty & Loretta LynnAfter The Fire Is Gone
Tompall And The Glaser BrothersRings
Johnny Cash & June CarterNo Need To Worry
Roy Acuff With The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandI Saw The Light
Porter Wagoner And Dolly PartonBetter Move It On Home

Best Country Instrumental Performance

ArtistWork
🏆Chet AtkinsSnowbird
Nashville Brass With Danny DavisRuby, Don't Take Your Love To Town
Bakersfield BrassRose Garden
Jerry KennedyJerry Kennedy Plays: With All Due Respect To Kris Kristofferson
Floyd CramerFor The Good Times

Best Country Song

ArtistWork
🏆Sammi SmithHelp Me Make It Through The Night
Bakersfield BrassRose Garden
Janis JoplinMe And Bobby Mc Gee
Ray PriceFor The Good Times
Freddie HartEasy Loving

Best Sacred Performance (Musical)

ArtistWork
🏆Charley PrideDid You Think To Pray
The Pat Boone FamilyThe Pat Boone Family
Dolly PartonGolden Streets Of Glory
George Beverly SheaAmazing Grace
Anita BryantAbide With Me

Best Gospel Performance (Other Than Soul Gospel)

ArtistWork
🏆Charley PrideLet Me Live
The ImperialsTime To Get It Together
Hovie Lister With The StatesmenPut Your Hand In The Hand
The Oak Ridge BoysJesus Christ, What A Man
Blackwood BrothersHe's Still King Of Kings

Best Ethnic Or Traditional Recording

ArtistWork
🏆Muddy WatersThey Call Me Muddy Waters
The Esso Trinidad Steel BandThe Esso Trinidad Steel Band
T-Bone WalkerStormy Monday Blues
Mississippi Fred McDowellMississippi Fred McDowell
Howlin' WolfMessage To The Young
Javanese PlayersJavanese Court Gamelan
Keiko Matsuo18th Century Traditional Music Of Japan

Best Instrumental Composition

ArtistWork
🏆Michel Legrand, composer (Michel Legrand)Theme From Summer Of '42
Isaac Hayes, composer (Isaac Hayes)Theme From Shaft
Francis Lai, composer (Francis Lai & His Orchestra and also Henry Mancini & His Orchestra)Theme From Love Story
Duke Ellington, composer (Duke Ellington)New Orleans Suite
Chuck Mangione, composer (Chuck Mangione)Hill Where The Lord Hides

Best Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special

ArtistWork
🏆Isaac Hayes, composer (Isaac Hayes)Shaft
Maurice Jarre, composer (Various Artists)Ryan's Daughter
Francis Lai, composer (Various Artists)Love Story
Elton John & Bernie Taupin, composers (Various Artists)Friends
Perry Botkin Jr. & Barry De Vorzon, composers (Various Artists)Bless The Beasts And Children

Best Score From An Original Cast Show Album

ArtistWork
🏆Stephen Schwartz, composer; Stephen Schwartz, producer (Original Cast)Godspell
Martin Charnin & Richard Rodgers, composers; Thomas Z. Shepard, producer (Various Artists)Two By Two
Jim Crozier & Kenn Long, composers; Glenn Osser, producer (Various Artists)Touch
Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick, composers; Thomas Z. Shepard, producer (Various Artists)The Rothchilds
Stephen Sondheim, composer; Richard C. Jones, producer (Various Artists)Follies

Best Recording For Children

ArtistWork
🏆Bill CosbyBill Cosby Talks To Kids About Drugs
Peter Moore Conducting Golden Orchestra And ChorusWilly Wonka And The Chocolate Factory
Julie HarrisThe Story Of Scheherazade
Stanley Daniels, M.D.Sex Explained For Children
Richard Wolfe Children's ChorusSesame St., Rubber Duckie And Other Songs From Sesame St.

Best Comedy Recording

ArtistWork
🏆Lily TomlinThis Is A Recording
Bill CosbyWhen I Was A Kid
Flip WilsonFlip...The Flip Wilson Show
Cheech And ChongCheech And Chong
Hudson And LandryAjax Liquor Store

Best Spoken Word Recording

ArtistWork
🏆Les CraneDesiderata
James WhitmoreWill Rogers' U.S.A.
Geraldine Fitzgerald, Robert Ryan, Stacy KeachLong Day's Journey Into Night
Walter CronkiteI Can Hear It Now - The Sixties
Richard ChamberlainHamlet

Best Jazz Performance By A Soloist

ArtistWork
🏆Bill Evans TrioThe Bill Evans Album
Jimmy RushingThe You And Me That Used To Be
Earl HinesQuintessential Recording Session
Phil WoodsPhil Woods And His European Rhythm Machine At The Frankfurt Jazz Festival
Larry CoryellGypsy Queen
Dizzy GillespiePortrait Of Jenny
Carmen McRaeCarmen McRae

Best Jazz Performance By A Group

ArtistWork
🏆Bill Evans TrioThe Bill Evans Album
Roy EldridgeThe Nifty Cat
Phil Woods And His European Rhythm MachinePhil Woods And His European Rhythm Machine At The Frankfurt Jazz Festival
Herbie HancockMwandishi
Miles DavisMiles Davis At The Fillmore
Mary Lou Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby HackettGiants
Gary Burton And Keith JarrettGary Burton And Keith Jarrett

Best Jazz Performance By A Big Band

ArtistWork
🏆Duke EllingtonNew Orleans Suite
Woody HermanWoody
Maynard FergusonMaynard Ferguson - M.F. Horn
Count BasieAfrique
Buddy RichA Different Drummer

Album Of The Year, Classical

ArtistWork
🏆Vladimir Horowitz, artist; Thomas Frost & Richard Killough, producersHorowitz Plays Rachmaninoff (Etudes-Tableaux Piano Music; Sonatas)
Phyllis Curtain, Simon Estes & Eugene Ormandy, artists; Max Wilcox, producerShostakovich: Symphony No. 14
Eugene Ormandy, artist; Peter Dellheim, producerPenderecki: Utrenja, The Entombment Of Christ
Carlo Maria Giulini, artist; Christopher Bishop, producerMahler: Symphony No. 1 In D Major
Seiji Ozawa, artist; Peter Andry, producerJanácek: Sinfonietta/Lutoslawski: Concerto For Orchestra
Antal Dorati, artist; James Mallinson, producerHaydn: Symphonies Nos. 65-72 (Vol.1)
Michael Dash, Jan De Gaetani & Arthur Weisberg, artists; Teresa Sterne, producerCrumb: Ancient Voices Of Children
Pierre Boulez, artist; Paul Myers, producerBoulez Conducts Boulez: Pli Selon Pli
Colin Davis, artist; Vittorio Negri, producerBerlioz: Requiem
Colin Davis, artist; Erik Smith, producerTippett: The Midsummer Marriage

Best Classical Performance - Orchestra

ArtistWork
🏆(Chicago Symphony Orchestra)Mahler: Symphony No. 1 In D
(London Symphony Orchestra)Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4 In F Minor
(Philadelphia Orchestra)Respighi: The Fountains Of Rome/The Pines Of Rome
(London Symphony Orchestra)Mahler: Symphony No. 3 In D Minor
(London Philharmonic)Holst: The Planets
(Philharmonia Hungarica)Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 65-72 (Vol. I)
(Cleveland Orchestra)Boulez Conducts Ravel
(BBC Symphony Orchestra)Boulez Conducts Boulez: Pli Selon Pli

Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist Or Soloists (With Orchestra)

ArtistWork
🏆Julian Bream, artist (London Symphony Orchestra)Villa-Lobos: Concerto For Guitar
Yehudi Menuhin, artistWalton: Concerto For Violin And Orchestra/ Concerto For Viola And Orchestra
Paul Zukofsky, artistWM. Schuman:Concerto For Violin
Kyung-Wha Chung, artistSibelius: Violin Concerto In D Minor/Tchaikovsky: Concerto In D Major For Violin
Van Cliburn, artistRachmaninoff: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini/ Liszt: Concerto No. 2 In A Major
Jacqueline Du Pre, artistDvorák: Concerto In B Minor For Cello
Henryk Szeryng, artistBerg: Orchestra/Martinon: Concerto For Violin
David Oistrakh, Sviatoslav Richter & Mstislav Rostropovich, artistsBeethoven: Triple Concerto (Concerto In C Major For Violin, Piano, And Cello, Op. 56)
Igor Kipnis, artistBach: Complete Concertos For Harpsichord And Orchestra

Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist Or Soloists (Without Orchestra)

ArtistWork
🏆Vladimir Horowitz, artistHorowitz Plays Rachmaninoff (Etudes-Tableaux Piano Music; Sonatas)
Artur Rubinstein, artistThe Brahms I Love
Aldo Ciccolini, artistSatie: Piano Music Of Erik Satie, Vol. 3
Joshua Rifkin, artistPiano Rags By Scott Joplin
Rudolf Serkin, artistBeethoven: Sonata No. 29 In B Flat Op. 106 /Hammerklavier/
Stephen Kovacevich, artistBartók: Mikrokosmos, Vol. 6/ Out Of Doors Suite/ Sonatina
Van Cliburn, artistBarber: Sonata For Piano/Prokofiev: Sonata No. 6 In A Major
Glenn Gould, artistBach: Well Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Vol. 3
Alicia De Larrocha, artistAlicia De Larrocha Plays Spanish Piano Music Of The 20th Century

Best Chamber Music Performance

ArtistWork
🏆Juilliard String Quartet (Claus Adam, Earl Carlyss, Robert Mann & Samuel Rhodes), artistsDebussy: Quartet In G Minor/Ravel: Quartet In F
Jean-Pierre Rampal, Leonard Rose, Alexander Schneider & Isaac Stern, artistsThe Mozart Quartets For Flute
Jascha Heifetz & Brooks Smith, artistsSchubert: Fantasie In C For Violin (And Piano) Op. 159
Gilbert Kalish, Charles Russo, Robert Sylvester & Paul Zukofsky, artistsIves: Chamber Music
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, artistFux-Schmelzer: Music In The Hapsburg Palace
Beaux Arts Trio (Isidore Cohen, Bernard Greenhouse & Menahem Pressler), artistsDvorák: Piano Trios (Complete)
Michael Dash, Jan De Gaetani & Arthur Weisberg, artistsCrumb: Ancient Voices Of Children

Best Opera Recording

ArtistWork
🏆Erich Leinsdorf; Richard Mohr, producer (John Aldis Choir; London Symphony Orchestra)Verdi: Aida
Pierre Boulez; Hans Hirsch, producer (Bayreuth Festival Chorus; Bayreuth Festival Orchestra)Wagner: Parsifal
Herbert von Karajan; R. Kinloch Anderson & Diether Gerhardt Worm, producers (Dresden State Opera Chorus & Leipzig Radio Chorus; Dresden State Opera Orchestra)Wagner: Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg
Carlo Maria Giulini; Christopher Bishop, producer (Ambrosian Opera Chorus; Royal Opera House Orchestra - Covent Garden)Verdi: Don Carlo
Colin Davis; Erik Smith, producer (Royal Opera House Orchestra - Covent Garden)Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage
Erich Leinsdorf; Richard Mohr, producer (John Choir Alldis; New Philharmonia Orchestra)Puccini: Il Tabarro
Georg Solti; Christopher Raeburn, producer (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)Mozart: The Magic Flute
Julius Rudel; Michael Williamson, producer (Ambrosian Opera Chorus; New Philharmonia Orchestra)Massenet: Manon

Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance

ArtistWork
🏆NOMINEESLeontyne Price Sings Robert Schumann
Phyllis CurtainWolf: Songs (Salzburg Festival 1953)
(Philadelphia Orchestra)Shostakovich: Symphony No. 14
Dietrich Fischer-DieskauIves: American Scenes/American Poets (Scenes: Things Our Fathers Loved, Walking, Autumn, Etc./Poets:Last Reader, Childrens Hour, Whitman, Thoreau, Etc.)
(Vienna Haydn Orchestra)Haydn And Mozart Arias
(BBC Symphony Orchestra)Berio: Epifanie
-An Evening Of Duets

Best Choral Performance, Classical

ArtistWork
🏆(London Symphony Chorus & Wandsworth School Boys Choir; London Symphony Orchestra)Berlioz: Requiem
(Los Angeles Master Chorale; Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra)Verdi: Four Sacred Pieces
(Collegium Vocale Of Cologne)Stockhausen: Stimmung
(Helsinki University Men's Choir; Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra)Sibelius: Kullervo, Op. 7
(Moscow Radio Chorus; Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra)Prokofiev: Seven, They Are Seven
(Temple University Choirs; Philadelphia Orchestra)Penderecki: Utrenja, The Entombment Of Christ

Best Engineered Recording, Classical

ArtistWork
🏆Vittorio Negri, engineer (Colin Davis, conductor)Berlioz: Requiem
Paul Goodman, engineer (Eugene Ormandy, conductor)Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture/Beethoven: Wellington's Victory
Carson Taylor, engineer (Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor)Mahler: Symphony No. 1 In D Major
Carson Taylor, engineer (Seiji Ozawa, conductor)Janácek: Sinfonietta
Gunter Hermanns, engineer (William Steinberg, conductor)Holst: The Planets
Marc Aubort, engineer (Jan De Gaetani, mezzo soprano; Michael Dash, singer; Arthur Weisberg conductor)Crumb: Ancient Voices Of Children
Gordon Parry, engineer (George Szell, conductor)Beethoven: Egmont - Complete Incidental Music