Which singer won the 1977 Grammy for Record of the Year with “This Masquerade”?

George Benson won the 1977 Grammy for Record of the Year with “This Masquerade.”

Benson recorded “This Masquerade” for his 1976 album Breezin’. The song was written by Leon Russell and had previously been recorded by other artists, but Benson’s version became a major crossover success.

The performance combined Benson’s smooth, expressive singing with his distinctive jazz guitar style. It helped establish him as a leading crossover artist who could move between jazz, R&B, pop, and adult contemporary audiences.

Record of the Year recognized Benson’s recorded performance and its production. The award was not for songwriting alone, even though the composition was written by Russell. Benson’s victory is often remembered as a milestone in the commercial rise of jazz-pop fusion.