Grammy Award for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album

Grammy Award for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album
Awarded for	quality southern, country, or bluegrass gospel albums
Country	United States
Presented by	National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First awarded	1991
Last awarded	2011
Official website	grammy.com

The Grammy Award for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards,^[1] to artists, producers, and engineers for quality gospel music albums. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".^[2]

Originally called the Grammy Award for Best Southern Gospel Album, Bruce Carroll first won the award at the 33rd Grammy Awards in 1991 for the album The Great Exchange. Three years later, the category's name was changed to the Best Southern Gospel, Country Gospel or Bluegrass Gospel Album. The category's name was changed to Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album in 1998. After 2011 it was merged with the Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album and the Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album, forming the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album. The NARAS made this change in order to "tighten the number of categories" at the Grammy Awards.^[3]

Bill Gaither has the most wins in the category, with a total of four: two from his work in the Gaither Vocal Band, and another two in combination with his wife, Gloria. Randy Travis has won one less Grammy than Gaither in this category, with three. Bill Gaither has the most nominations in the category, with eleven; the Light Crust Doughboys have eight, trailing Gaither by three nominations. Kyle Lehning holds the record for most wins as a producer or engineer, with a total of three. Nominated bands include Karen Peck and New River, who were selected in three of the final four years of the Grammy, and the Cathedral Quartet.

Recipients

Alison Krauss won the award in 1995 along with The Cox Family

Andy Griffith won the 1997 award for I Love to Tell the Story – 25 Timeless Hymns

Two-time award winner Ricky Skaggs

Bill Gaither has won the award four times, the most of any performer

Randy Travis was awarded the Grammy three times from 2004–2007

Year^[I]	Winning artist	Personnel	Work	Other nominees	Ref.
1991	Carroll, BruceBruce Carroll		The Great Exchange	Happy Goodman Family – The Reunion The Nelons – Let the Redeemed Say So Speer Family – He's Still in the Fire J. D. Sumner and the Stamps – Victory Road	[4]
1992	Gaither Vocal Band		Homecoming	The Chuck Wagon Gang – Still Rollin' Mid-South Boys – Shoulder to Shoulder Speer Family – Hallelujah Time J. D. Sumner and the Stamps – Peace in the Valley The Talleys – Love Will	[5]
1993	Carroll, BruceBruce Carroll		Sometimes Miracles Hide	Cathedral Quartet – Camp Meeting Live Jeff & Sheri Easter – Pickin' the Best ... Live Florida Boys – Live Speer Family – 70th Anniversary Celebration	[6]
1994	Mattea, KathyKathy Mattea		Good News	Bruce Carroll – Walk On Cathedral Quartet – Worship His Glory Gaither Vocal Band – Southern Classics Ralph Stanley – Sunday Morning	[7]
1995	The Cox Family and Alison Krauss		I Know Who Holds Tomorrow	Cathedral Quartet – High and Lifted Up Charlie Daniels – The Door Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters – Tell It Again The Torchmen – Just Stopped By	[8]
1996		Hearn, BillBill Hearn, producer	Amazing Grace – A Country Salute to Gospel	Bruce Carroll – One Summer Evening Live Crystal Gayle – Someday Joe Isaacs and Ralph Stanley – A Gospel Gathering Jerry & Tammy Sullivan – At the Feet of God	[9]
1997	Griffith, AndyAndy Griffith		I Love to Tell the Story – 25 Timeless Hymns	Charlie Daniels – Steel Witness Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver – There's a Light Guiding Me Bobbie Nelson and Willie Nelson – How Great Thou Art Ricky Van Shelton – Don't Overlook Salvation	[10]
1998		Corlew, DavidDavid Corlew and Peter York, producers	Amazing Grace 2: A Country Salute to Gospel	James Blackwood and the Light Crust Doughboys – Keep Lookin' Up: The Texas Swing Sessions Gaither Vocal Band – Back Home in Indiana The Martins – Light of the World	[11]
1999		Afterman, PeterPeter Afterman, John Huie, and Ken Levitan, producers	The Apostle – Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture	James Blackwood Quartet and the Light Crust Doughboys – They Gave the World a Smile: The Stamps Quartet Tribute Album Cathedral Quartet – Faithful Bill and Gloria Gaither and Their Homecoming Friends – Down by the Tabernacle Andy Griffith – Just as I Am	[12]
2000	Bill and Gaither, GloriaGloria Gaither and Their Homecoming Friends		Kennedy Center Homecoming	Glen Campbell – A Glen Campbell Christmas Roy Clark – Roy Clark Sings & Plays Gospel Greats Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver – Winding Through Life J. D. Sumner and the Stamp Quartet – The Final Sessions	[13]
2001	Ricky Skaggs, and Kentucky Thunder	King, BrentBrent King and Alan Shulman, engineers	Soldier of the Cross	The Jordanaires, the Light Crust Doughboys with James Blackwood – The Great Gospel Hit Parade: From Memphis to Nashville to Texas Cathedral Quartet – The Cathedrals: A Farewell Celebration Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver – Just Over in Heaven Paul Williams & The Victory Trio – Old Ways & Old Paths	[14]
2002	Bill and Gloria Gaither and Their Homecoming Friends	Evans, ChadChad Evans, engineer	Bill & Gloria Gaither Present a Billy Graham Music Homecoming	Merle Haggard and Albert E. Brumley, Jr. – Two Old Friends Ann-Margret and The Jordanaires, the Light Crust Doughboys with James Blackwood – God Is Love: The Gospel Sessions The Oak Ridge Boys – From the Heart Randy Travis – Inspirational Journey	[15]
2003	The Jordanaires, Ford, LarryLarry Ford, the Light Crust Doughboys	Tim Cooper, Chuck Ebert, Adrian Payne, Robb Tripp, and Philip York, engineers	We Called Him Mr. Gospel Music: The James Blackwood Tribute Album	Charlie Daniels Band – How Sweet the Sound: 25 Favorite Hymns and Gospel Greats Gaither Vocal Band – Everything Good The Oak Ridge Boys – An Inconvenient Christmas	[16]
2004	Travis, RandyRandy Travis	Lehning, KyleKyle Lehning, producer. Jason Lehning and Steve Tillisch, engineers	Rise and Shine	Blue Highway – Wondrous Love The Crabb Family – The Walk Gaither Vocal Band – A Cappella Engelbert Humperdinck, The Blackwood Brothers Quartet, The Jordanaires and the Light Crust Doughboys – Always Hear the Harmony: The Gospel Sessions	[17]
2005	Travis, RandyRandy Travis	Lehning, KyleKyle Lehning, producer. Jason Lehning and Casey Wood, engineers	Worship & Faith	The Crabb Family – Driven Art Greenhaw, The Jordanaires, Nokie Edwards, and the Light Crust Doughboys – 20th Century Gospel: From Hymns to Blackwood Brothers Tribute to Christian Country Buddy Miller– Universal United House of Prayer Various artists – Amazing Grace 3: A Country Salute to Gospel	[18]
2006	Grant, AmyAmy Grant	Gill, VinceVince Gill and Brown Bannister, producers. Steve Bishir, engineer	Rock of Ages... Hymns and Faith	The Crabb Family – Live At Brooklyn Tabernacle Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers – Sing Their Family Gospel Favorites The Jordanaires, Nokie Edwards, the Light Crust Doughboys, and Larry "T-Byrd" Gordon – Southern Meets Soul: An American Gospel Jubilee The Oak Ridge Boys – Common Thread	[19]
2007	Travis, RandyRandy Travis	Lehning, KyleKyle Lehning, producer. Casey Wood, engineer	Glory Train: Songs of Faith, Worship, and Praise	Kenny Bishop – Kenny Bishop Del McCoury Band – The Promised Land Gaither Vocal Band – Give It Away Alan Jackson – Precious Memories	[20]
2008	Skaggs, RickyRicky Skaggs, The Whites	King, BrentBrent King, engineer	Salt of the Earth	Bill and Gloria Gaither and The Homecoming Friends – Amazing Grace Karen Peck and New River – Journey of Joy Billy Joe Shaver – Everybody's Brother Kenny & Amanda Smith Band – Tell Someone Various artists (Ed Cash producer) – I'll Fly Away: Country Hymns & Songs of Faith	[21]
2009	Gaither Vocal Band	Evans, ChadChad Evans and Pete Greene, engineers	Lovin' Life	The Booth Brothers – Room for More Charlie Louvin – Steps to Heaven Bart Millard – Hymned Again Karen Peck and New River – Ephesians One	[22]
2010	Crabb, JasonJason Crabb	Corley, PaulPaul Corley and Ben Fowler, engineers	Jason Crabb	Ernie Haase & Signature Sound – Dream On Tracy Lawrence – The Rock Barry Scott & Second Wind – In God's Time Triumphant Quartet – Everyday	[23]
2011	Diamond Rio	Clute, MichaelMichael Clute, engineer	The Reason	Austins Bridge – Times Like These Jeff & Sheri Easter – Expecting Good Things Ty Herndon – Journey On Karen Peck & New River – Live at Oak Tree: Karen Peck & New River	[24]

^{^[I]} Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

References

General

• "Past Winners Search". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved September 15, 2012. Note: User must select the "Gospel" category as the genre under the search feature.

Specific

1. "Grammy Awards at a Glance". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
2. "Overview". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
3. "Explanation For Category Restructuring". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
4. "Grammys go to gospel stars". The Gainesville Sun. Halifax Media Group. February 23, 1991. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
5. "The Grammy Nominations". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. January 9, 1992. p. 2. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
6. "Grammy nominations". The Baltimore Sun. Tribune Company. February 21, 1993. p. 3. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
7. "Hundreds Nominated For Grammys". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. January 10, 1994. p. 4. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
8. "The 37th Grammy Nominations". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. January 6, 1995. p. 3. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
9. "The 38th Annual Grammy Nominations: The Complete List of Nominees". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. January 5, 1996. p. 3. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
10. "The Complete List of Nominees". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. January 8, 1997. p. 3. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
11. "1997 Grammy Nominees". Orlando Sentinel. Tribune Company. January 9, 1998. p. 3. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
12. "Academy's Complete List of Nominees". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. January 6, 1999. p. 3. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
13. "Final Nominations For The 42nd Ammual Grammy Awards". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 112 (3): 72. 2000.
14. Boucher, Geoff (January 4, 2001). "Grammys Cast a Wider Net Than Usual". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. p. 4. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
15. "Complete List Of Grammy Nominees". CBS. January 4, 2002. Archived from the original on October 10, 2003. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
16. "Complete list of Grammy nominees; ceremony set for Feb. 23". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. January 8, 2003. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
17. "Grammy Award Winners". The Associated Press. The New York Times. December 8, 2003. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
18. "Grammy Award nominees in top categories". The Associated Press. USA Today. February 7, 2005. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
19. "Grammy Award Winners". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. December 8, 2005. p. 4. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
20. "Complete list of Grammy nominees". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. December 8, 2006. p. 4. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
21. "The Complete List of Grammy Nominees". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. December 7, 2007. p. 3. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
22. "The 51st Annual Grammy Awards Nominations". CBS. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
23. O'Connor, Dave (December 7, 2009). "Taylor Swift, meet Jars of Clay ... Grammy nominees chosen for Christian music". Intelligencer Journal / Lancaster New Era. Lancaster Newspapers, Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
24. "53rd Annual Grammy Awards nominees list". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved September 29, 2012.