The 1st Awit Awards were held on March 23, 1969, in Makati. 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.
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. Pauline Sevilla won the most awards with three.
Winners Local Division
English Female Recording Artist of the YearMale Recording Artist of the Year Helen Gamboa Eddie PeregrinaVocal Group of the YearSingle of the Year The Hi-Jacks "Ting-A-Ling" – Pauline SevillaAlbum of the YearComposer of the Year Her Kind of Music – Norma Ledesma George CansecoLyricist of the YearMusical Arranger of the Year George Canseco Doming AmarilloBest New Recording ArtistRecord Producer of the Year Nora Aunor Vic del Rosario Orly IlacadRecording Studio of the YearRecord Company of the Year Cinema-Audio Mareco
Vernacular Female Recording Artist of the YearMale Recording Artist of the Year Cely Bautista Ruben TagalogVocal Group of the YearSingle of the Year Mabuhay Singers "De Colores" – Pauline SevillaAlbum of the YearComposer of the Year Mabuhay Singerssing Pandangguhan, Dahil sa Iyo and other Philippine Songs– Mabuhay Singers Constancio de GuzmanLyricist of the YearBest Instrumental Album Constancio de Guzman Leopoldo Silos
Foreign Division
Female Recording Artist of the YearMale Recording Artist of the Year Connie Francis Jack JonesVocal Group of the YearSingle of the Year The Beatles "The Sound of Silence" – Simon and GarfunkelAlbum of the Year The Graduate – Simon and Garfunkel
Special awards Best Special RecordingRecord Man of the Year "Cursillo Song" – Pauline Sevilla Manuel P. Villar
Notes:
It is currently unknown which album of Leopoldo Silos won the "Best Instrumental Album". 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