Watch Live Performances of Grammy-Winning Songs here! – Grammy Award Winning Songs Performed On The Ed Sullivan Show
Since its beginning in 1959, the Grammys have stood as the gold standard of achievement in music, honoring the finest artists and shaping the way we experience award shows and live performances on television. Yet, nearly a decade before the Grammys took shape, The Ed Sullivan Show was already offering musicians a prestigious national platform to showcase their talents. Many of the future Grammy winners we celebrate today first graced Sullivan’s stage, performing songs that would go on to earn the industry’s highest recognition. The show set a precedent for live televised music, paving the way for the unforgettable moments we now associate with the Grammys.
What began as a modest awards ceremony has transformed into a globally watched event, drawing millions of viewers each year. The Grammys now celebrate everything from groundbreaking albums to emerging artists across diverse genres, reflecting music’s evolution. In a similar vein, The Ed Sullivan Show did the same by introducing large audiences to new sounds and rising stars. It provided the blueprint for live music, shaping how music is presented on television, and even influencing the very structure of award show performances.
Take Louis Armstrong’s Hello, Dolly!, for example, he debuted the song on The Ed Sullivan Show before winning the Grammy for Best Vocal Performance in 1965. Similarly, Domenico Modugno’s Volare (Nel blu, dipinto di blu) made its first televised appearance on Sullivan’s stage before becoming the first song to win both Record and Song of the Year at the first Grammy Awards in 1959. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass also performed A Taste of Honey on the show before it went on to claim the Grammy for Record of the Year. These performances not only captivated audiences, but they also established a new standard for live televised music, influencing the iconic moments we now anticipate at the Grammys.
Beyond the music itself, The Ed Sullivan Show played a pivotal role in launching the careers of artists who would go on to become Grammy legends. The Jackson 5’s debut introduced the world to a young Michael Jackson, who would later win numerous Grammys. Stevie Wonder, as “Little Stevie Wonder,” first appeared on Sullivan’s stage before his extraordinary career would earn him more than 25 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all time. Similarly, Tony Bennett and Bobby Darin began their careers on Sullivan’s stage before embarking on Grammy-winning journeys, making it clear the show’s undeniable influence in forming the legacies of music’s greatest stars.Both The Ed Sullivan Show and the Grammys have celebrated the power of live music and its ability to connect with audiences.
Today, the Grammy remains the ultimate honor for any artist, just as performing on The Ed Sullivan Show was once a defining milestone in an artist’s career. Sullivan’s stage offered some of the earliest televised live music moments, allowing audiences to experience artists in real time. The Grammys have carried that legacy forward, continuing to captivate millions of fans worldwide with the raw energy of live performance. To fully appreciate the connection between The Ed Sullivan Show and The Grammys, we invite you to explore these iconic Grammy award winning songs that first graced Ed’s stage.