3 Classic Rock AMA Winners From 1975 We Still Follow

In 1975, music fans were privy to one of the newest award shows in town. That was the year of the second-annual American Music Awards. The show, which was produced by the iconic Dick Clark Productions, honored commercially successful acts who made a giant impact on the year prior.

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And some of those honorees back then remain some of the biggest names in music even today. That’s just what we wanted to highlight here below. Indeed, these are three classic rock AMA winners from 1975 we still stan even now.

John Denver

John Denver has written some of the catchiest and most memorable songs in the history of American music. So, it stands to reason that he should be the recipient of an American Music Awards trophy or two! Indeed, at the 1975 AMAs, Denver took home the award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist thanks to his 1974 LP, Back Home Again, which included the all-time songs “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” and “Annie’s Song”. To win the honor, Denver beat out Charlie Rich and Elton John.

Olivia Newton-John

While John Denver took home the award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, it was the British-born singer and actor Olivia Newton-John who took home the trophy for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, beating out Barbra Streisand and Helen Reddy. The nod came after the star released two albums in 1974—If You Love Me, Let Me Know and Long Live Love. But that’s not all, later in the evening, she won Favorite Country Female Artist, Favorite Country Album, and Favorite Pop/Rock Song for her tune “I Honestly Love You”. From winning awards to starring in the classical musical movie Grease in 1978, Newton-John owned the decade.

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Like Newton-John, Gladys Knight & The Pips took home a whopping four AMAs in 1975, including Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group, Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group, Favorite Soul/R&B Album for their LP Imagination, and Favorite Soul/R&B Song for their track “Midnight Train to Georgia”. For the group, which knew how to compel through funky and soulful grooves behind Knight’s stellar vocals, the trophies were well deserved.

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