With the 59th annual GRAMMY awards around the corner (airing February 12), we're getting that tingly, excited, need-to-know-who's-going-to-win feeling. But, to help us wait it out, we're going through the past archives of winners to see who the best and most surprising of these wins were.
While you might know that Bruno Mars, Sam Smith,T-Swift, Beck, and Pharrell Williams have all taken the award home, you might be surprised to see these nine people also made it on the list.
1. Kate Winslet (1999)
Yep, Rose from The Titanic totally won a GRAMMY for "Best Spoken Word Album For Children," in 1999 for the poem she read titled Listen to the Storyteller. She was worked on the project with Graham Greene and Wynton Marsalis.
2. Bill Clinton (2003)
Bill Clinton walked away with the same award as Winslet, "Best Spoken Word Album For Children," in 2003 after working on Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf/Beintus: Wolf Tracks. He worked with Mikhail Gorbachev, Sophia Loren, Jean-Marie Geijsen, and Wilhelm Hellweg.
3. Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra (2008)
Arturo O' what and the Afro-Jazz huh? That's right. You might not know about this jazz group, led by Mexican-born Arturo O'Farrill, but this ensemble has won four GRAMMY awards, and they're hella good. They won Best Latin Jazz Album in 2009 and 2015, and Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2012 and 2016.
4. Barack Obama (2005 and 2007)
Yep, the ex-POTUS won has actually won two GRAMMY awards, both for Best Spoken Word Album. The first, awarded in 2005, was a recording of him reading his memoir, Dreams From My Father. The second was awarded in 2007 for his narration of his second memoir, The Audacity Of Hope: Thoughts On Reclaiming The American Dream.
5. Jon Stewart (2010)
Stewart walked away with a GRAMMY for Best Spoken Word Album in 2010 for The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Audiobook), which he worked on with Charles de Montebello, Tim Lester, David Javerbaum, John McElroy, Jon Stewart, Josh Lieb, Rory Albanese and Steve Bodow.
6. Norah Jones (2002, 2004, 2007)
You might not be too familiar with this soulful singer, but Norah Jones wowed listeners and has to date, won nine GRAMMY awards. Her awards include Best Pop With Vocals, Album Of The Year, Best New Artist, and Record Of The Year.
7. Hillary Clinton (1996)
Clinton can sport long pant suits and the GRAMMY she won in 1996 for the narration of her book, It Takes A Village. She won for Best Spoken Word Or Non-Musical Album.
8. Jimmy Carter (2006 and 2015)
The 39th POTUS has won two GRAMMY awards, first in 2006 for Best Spoken Word Album, for his narration of his book Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis. He won again in 2015 for Best Spoken Word Album, for his narration of his other book, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety.
9. Sesame Street (1971)
Ever think your favorite show as as kid would have won a GRAMMY? You bet it did. Sesame Street won in 1971 for Best Recording For Children.
You might also like
17 Latin Urban Artists You Must Keep On Your Radar In 2017
9 Extraordinary African American Women In The Arts Who Changed US History