Nine Tidbits About the Grammy Awards

The music industry's biggest event, the 57^th Grammy Awards is finally here, and the whole world is abuzz with excitement over the big names who will be raking in awards, the colourful fashion choices of music artists, and the behind-the-scenes controversies that inevitably follow the big event.

But just how much do we know about the Grammy Awards? When did it start? Who has the most Grammy awards? Who casts the votes for the winners anyway? The International Business Times has rounded up nine interesting facts about the awards ceremony that will answer those questions:

1. The Grammy Awards was originally called the Gramophone Awards and the first ever Grammys were given out back in 1959 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The first ceremony host was comedian Mort Sahl, and Frank Sinatra was among the inaugural winners.
2. The Grammy Awards was only televised for the first time in 1971, and ABC broadcast remains the highest-rated Grammy telecast of all time.
3. A group of musicians and music industry professionals, who make up the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) cast in their votes and pick the winners of the event.
4. Classical music conductor Sir George Solti still holds the record for most Grammy Awards. He has 31.
5. Country singer Alison Krauss, meanwhile, is the woman who holds the most number of Grammy Awards with 27. She has been given a total of 41 nominations, and she won her first back in 1991 for Best Bluegrass Recording.
6. The youngest person to nab a Grammy Award was country singer LeAnn Rimes, who was deemed Best New Artist in 1997 at the tender age of 14.
7. There was only one time a Grammy Award was ever revoked, and that is the one given Milli Vanilli for Best New Artist in 1990. The award was taken back when the awards committee discovered that the duo did not really sing on their album.
8. The 2009 Grammy Awards was one of the most controversial ones since prior to the actual awards ceremony, R&B singer Chris Brown assaulted pop singer and girlfriend Rihanna and she was rushed to the hospital. Because of this incident, the two were unable to fulfil their scheduled Grammy performance.
9. Another controversial event linked to the Grammys was the 2012 54^th Grammy Awards. During the eve of the ceremony, singing sensation Whitney Houston was found dead in her room at the Beverly Hilton. She was supposed to perform during the ceremony but she passed away due to accidental drowning.