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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Roots Performance.

11 ceremonies, 2015–2025. 11 different winners.

Who won most recently?
Sierra Ferrell in 2025 for Lighthouse.
  1. LighthouseSierra Ferrell
  2. Eve Was BlackAllison Russell
  3. Stompin' GroundAaron Neville and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
  4. CryJon Batiste
  5. I Remember EverythingJohn Prine
  6. Saint HonestySara Bareilles
Years explored
2015–2025
Different winners
11
Category leader
No leader
About this record

Best American Roots Performance was first awarded in 2015, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

2015–2025

11 ceremonies

20152025

01 / The reigns

11 winners shaped this category.

The timeline turns the 2015–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

One band per year, because no winner has gone back-to-back in the years on record. Colored by label; scroll sideways for the full run.
Rosanne Cash'15
Mavis Staples'16
Sarah Jarosz'17
Alabama Shakes'18
Brandi Carlile'19
Sara Bareilles'20
John Prine'21
Jon Batiste'22
Aaron Neville and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band'23
Allison Russell'24
Sierra Ferrell'25

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Independent leads the recorded label credits with 2 wins, 2015–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Independent2 wins
Sony2 wins
Universal2 wins
Low Country Sound1 win
Paramount1 win
Petaluma1 win
Wins by label
  1. Independent218%
  2. Sony218%
  3. Universal218%
  4. Low Country Sound19%
  5. Paramount19%
  6. Petaluma19%
  7. Other218%

03 / The near misses

The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.

Counting nominations in this category only, 2015–2025.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Rhiannon Giddens
    3 noms
  2. 02
    The Blind Boys of Alabama
    3 noms
  3. 03
    Madison Cunningham
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Rhiannon Giddens
    3L · 0W
  2. 02
    The Blind Boys of Alabama
    3L · 0W
  3. 03
    Jon Batiste
    2L · 1W
  4. 04
    Madison Cunningham
    2L · 0W
  5. 05
    Allison Russell
    1L · 1W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2015–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2025Sierra Ferrell (Lighthouse)
beat 3 others
  • Shemekia Copeland (Blame It on Eve)
  • The Fabulous Thunderbirds featuring Bonnie Raitt, Keb' Mo', Taj Mahal and Mick Fleetwood (Nothing in Rambling)
  • Rhiannon Giddens (The Ballad of Sally Anne)
Rounder
2024Allison Russell (Eve Was Black)
beat 4 others
  • Jon Batiste (Butterfly)
  • The Blind Boys of Alabama (Heaven Help Us All)
  • Madison Cunningham (Inventing the Wheel)
  • Rhiannon Giddens (You Louisiana Man)
Fantasy
2023Aaron Neville and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (Stompin' Ground)
beat 4 others
  • Bill Anderson featuring Dolly Parton (Someday It'll All Make Sense)
  • Madison Cunningham (Life According to Raechel)
  • Fantastic Negrito (Oh Betty)
  • Aoife O'Donovan and Alison Russell (Prodigal Daughter)
Petaluma
2022Jon Batiste (Cry)
beat 4 others
  • Billy Strings (Love and Regret)
  • The Blind Boys of Alabama featuring Béla Fleck (I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free)
  • Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile (Same Devil)
  • Allison Russell (Nightflyer)
Verve
2021John Prine (I Remember Everything)
beat 4 others
  • Black Pumas (Colors)
  • Bonny Light Horseman (Deep in Love)
  • Brittany Howard (Short and Sweet)
  • Norah Jones and Mavis Staples (I'll Be Gone)
Atlantic/Asylum/Oh Boy
2020Sara Bareilles (Saint Honesty)
beat 4 others
  • Calexico and Iron & Wine (Father Mountain)
  • Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi (I'm on My Way)
  • I'm with Her (Call My Name)
  • Yola (Faraway Look)
Epic
2019Brandi Carlile (The Joke)
beat 4 others
  • Sean Ardoin (Kick Rocks)
  • Jon Batiste (St. James Infirmary Blues)
  • Anderson East (All on My Mind)
  • Willie Nelson (Last Man Standing)
Low Country Sound/Elektra
2018Alabama Shakes (Killer Diller Blues)
beat 4 others
  • The Blind Boys of Alabama (Let My Mother Live)
  • Glen Campbell (Arkansas Farmboy)
  • Leonard Cohen (Steer Your Way)
  • Alison Krauss (I Never Cared for You)
Columbia
2017Sarah Jarosz (House of Mercy)
beat 4 others
  • The Avett Brothers (Ain't No Man)
  • The Blind Boys of Alabama (Mother's Children Have a Hard Time)
  • Rhiannon Giddens (Factory Girl)
  • Lori McKenna (Wreck You)
Sugar Hill
2016Mavis Staples (See That My Grave Is Kept Clean)
beat 4 others
  • Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn (And Am I Born to Die)
  • Buddy Guy (Born to Play Guitar)
  • The Milk Carton Kids (City of Our Lady)
  • Punch Brothers (Julep)
Paramount
2015Rosanne Cash (A Feather's Not a Bird)
beat 4 others
  • Gregg Allman and Taj Mahal (Statesboro Blues)
  • Billy Childs featuring Alison Krauss and Jerry Douglas (And When I Die)
  • Keb' Mo' featuring the California Feet Warmers (The Old Me Better)
  • Nickel Creek (Destination)
Blue Note