3 Grammy-Winning Pop Icons From 1966 We Can’t Live Without

When you think of popular music in 1966, what comes to mind? Certainly, artists like The Beatles and Bob Dylan must spring forward. But at the Grammy Awards that year, those were not the big-name folks the awards show celebrated. Rock wasn’t present at the show. It was all about pop music.

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Here below, we wanted to go back in time and take a look at the famed awards show and highlight three big-name pop artists that were honored. Indeed, these are three Grammy Award-winning pop icons from 1966 who we can’t live without today.

Herb Alpert

The 1960s were Herb Alpert’s time. The jazz trumpeter who had a sound that was recognizable in any living room, lounge, or department store, sold millions of records in the decade. There were times when he was the only act outselling The Beatles. And in 1965, Alpert released his iconic LP, Whipped Cream & Other Delights. For that work and more, he was honored in 1966, taking home four Grammys, including Record of the Year, Best Instrumental Performance, Best Instrumental Arrangement, and Best Engineered Recording – Non-Classical for the song “A Taste of Honey”.

Barbra Streisand

A star on the stage, screen, and recording studio, Barbra Streisand took home the Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Female, for her 1965 LP My Name Is Barbra, which included a number of famous shoetune standards, including “Someone To Watch Over Me” and “I’ve Got No Strings”. While Streisand had a few more nominations on the night, that was her sole award win. Still, not a bad night!

Frank Sinatra

The man with the golden voice was honored with a number of golden trophies in 1966. Indeed, like Herb Alpert, Frank Sinatra left the 8th Annual Grammy Awards holding four statues, including Album of the Year for September of My Years and Best Vocal Performance, Male, for his song, “It Was a Very Good Year”. While a timeless singer, Sinatra’s time in the center of culture would soon be supplanted by artists like Dylan and The Beatles. But in 1966, he enjoyed one more day in the sun.

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