Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female
Awarded forQuality female jazz vocal performances
CountryUnited States
Presented byNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First awarded1981
Last awarded1991
Websitegrammy.com

The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards,[1] to female recording artists for quality jazz vocal performances (songs or albums). Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".[2]

Prior to 1981, the gender-neutral category of Best Jazz Vocal Performance existed.[3] The first award specifically for female performances was presented to Ella Fitzgerald in 1981 for the album A Perfect Match. The category remained unchanged until 1985, when it was combined with the award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male and presented in the genderless category. Gender-specific awards were once again presented from 1986 until 1991. In 1992, the two categories were combined and presented as the category Best Jazz Vocal Performance. This category was later renamed to Best Jazz Vocal Album beginning in 2001. While the gender-specific award has not been presented since the category merge in 1992, an official confirmation of its retirement has not been announced.

Fitzgerald holds the record for the most wins in this category, with four. Diane Schuur is the only other artist to receive the award more than once, with two consecutive wins. American artists have been presented with the award more than any other nationality, though it has been presented to a vocalist from the United Kingdom once. Betty Carter and Maxine Sullivan share the record for the most nominations without a win, with three each.

Recipients

Black and white image of a woman wearing glasses and a dress with sequins, holding a microphone
Four-time award winner Ella Fitzgerald performing in 1975
A woman wearing an orange dress and earrings, holding a microphone
1986 award winner Cleo Laine
Black and white image of a woman wearing a dress and earrings, holding a microphone in one hand while the other is raised in the air
1989 award winner Betty Carter performing in 1986
Year[I] Performing artist(s) Work Nominees Ref.
1981 Ella Fitzgerald A Perfect Match [4]
1982 Ella Fitzgerald Digital III at Montreux [5]
1983 Sarah Vaughan Gershwin Live! [6]
1984 Ella Fitzgerald The Best Is Yet to Come [7]
1985[II] — — — [8]
1986 Cleo Laine Cleo at Carnegie: The 10th Anniversary Concert [9]
1987 Diane Schuur Timeless [10]
1988 Diane Schuur Diane Schuur & the Count Basie Orchestra [11]
1989 Betty Carter Look What I Got! [12]
1990 Ruth Brown Blues on Broadway [13]
1991 Ella Fitzgerald All That Jazz [14]

^[I] Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
^[II] Award was combined with the Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male category and presented in a genderless category known as Best Jazz Vocal Album.

See also

References

General
  • "Past Winners Search: Jazz". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
Specific
  1. ^ "Grammy Awards at a Glance". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
  2. ^ "Overview". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
  3. ^ "Ol' Blue Eyes, Barbra and Criss Cross Head Grammy Nominees". The Hour. January 14, 1981. p. 33. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  4. ^ "Here's complete list of the Grammy nominations". Eugene Register-Guard. Vol. 114, no. 121. Eugene, Oregon. February 21, 1981. p. 36. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
  5. ^ "24th Annual Grammy Awards Final Nominations". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 94 (3): 90. January 23, 1982. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  6. ^ "25th Annual Grammy Awards Final Nominations". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 95 (3): 67. January 22, 1983. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
  7. ^ "Complete List of the Nominees for 26th Annual Grammy Music Awards". Schenectady Gazette. Schenectady, New York. January 9, 1984. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
  8. ^ "Prince, Turner, Lauper top Grammy nominations". The Gazette. Montreal, Quebec: Canwest. January 11, 1985. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
  9. ^ Hunt, Dennis (January 10, 1986). "'We Are The World' Scores In Grammy Nominations". Los Angeles Times. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 29, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  10. ^ Hunt, Dennis (January 9, 1987). "Grammy Nominations: Highs And Lows". Los Angeles Times. p. 4. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  11. ^ Hunt, Dennis (January 15, 1988). "U2, Jackson Top Grammy Nominees". Los Angeles Times. p. 3. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  12. ^ "List of Grammy nominees". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio: Block Communications. January 13, 1989. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  13. ^ Silverman, David (January 12, 1990). "Grammy Nominations Break With Tradition". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company. p. 3. Archived from the original on December 6, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  14. ^ "List of Grammy nominations". Times-News. Hendersonville, North Carolina: The New York Times Company. January 11, 1991. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2010.

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