1st Awit Awards (1969)

The 1st Awit Awards were held on March 23, 1969, in Makati.[1][2] These awards recognized musical achievements for the year 1968. This was the only award ceremony organized by the Awit Awards Executive Committee after the Philippine Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (PARAS) took charge the next year.[3]

1st Awit Awards
Date	March 23, 1969
Location	Makati
Highlights
Most awards	Pauline Sevilla (3)
Albums of the Year	Her Kind of Music by Norma Ledesma (Local-English) Mabuhay Singers sing Pandangguhan, Dahil sa Iyo and other Philippine Songs by Mabuhay Singers (Local-Vernacular) The Graduate by Simon and Garfunkel (Foreign)
Singles of the Year	"Ting-A-Ling" by Pauline Sevilla (Local-English) "De Colores" by Pauline Sevilla (Local-Vernacular) "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel (Foreign)

A total of 28 awards were presented that night. Another category, the Visiting Recording Artist of the Year, would be given in the foreign division supposedly but due to lack of nominees, it was not awarded.[4] Pauline Sevilla won the most awards with three.[2]

Winners

Local Division

English Female Recording Artist of the Year Male Recording Artist of the Year Helen Gamboa Eddie Peregrina Vocal Group of the Year Single of the Year The Hi-Jacks "Ting-A-Ling" – Pauline Sevilla Album of the Year Composer of the Year Her Kind of Music – Norma Ledesma George Canseco Lyricist of the Year Musical Arranger of the Year George Canseco Doming Amarillo Best New Recording Artist Record Producer of the Year Nora Aunor Vic del Rosario Orly Ilacad Recording Studio of the Year Record Company of the Year Cinema-Audio Mareco

Vernacular Female Recording Artist of the Year Male Recording Artist of the Year Cely Bautista Ruben Tagalog Vocal Group of the Year Single of the Year Mabuhay Singers "De Colores" – Pauline Sevilla Album of the Year Composer of the Year Mabuhay Singers sing Pandangguhan, Dahil sa Iyo and other Philippine Songs – Mabuhay Singers Constancio de Guzman Lyricist of the Year Best Instrumental Album Constancio de Guzman Leopoldo Silos^[A]

Foreign Division

Simon and Garfunkel, Single and Album of the Year (Foreign) winners

Connie Francis, Female Artist of the Year (Foreign) winner

The Beatles, Group of the Year (Foreign) winners

Female Recording Artist of the Year	Male Recording Artist of the Year
Connie Francis	Jack Jones
Vocal Group of the Year	Single of the Year
The Beatles	"The Sound of Silence" – Simon and Garfunkel^[B]
Album of the Year
The Graduate – Simon and Garfunkel

Special awards

Best Special Recording	Record Man of the Year
"Cursillo Song" – Pauline Sevilla	Manuel P. Villar

Notes:

^[A] It is currently unknown which album of Leopoldo Silos won the "Best Instrumental Album".
^[B] Although this single was originally released in 1965, it was included in the album, The Graduate, which, on the other hand, was released in 1968.

References

1. Awit Adds to Award List to Push Music. Billboard. 15 March 1969. p. 63. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
2. Mareco, Filipinas Records Take Lion's Share of Philippine Awards. Billboard. 19 April 1969. p. 72. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
3. PARAS Acad. Is Founded. Billboard. 11 July 1970. p. 71. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
4. Philippine Gala to Bow Awit Awards. Billboard. 23 November 1968. p. 70. Retrieved 20 October 2012.