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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined R&B Gospel Album.

21 ceremonies, 1991–2011. 14 different winners.

Who won most recently?
BeBe & CeCe Winans in 2011 for Still.
Who has won the most?
Kirk Franklin and Take 6, tied on 3 wins each.
  1. StillBeBe & CeCe Winans
  2. Audience of OneHeather Headley
  3. The Fight of My LifeKirk Franklin
  4. Free to WorshipFred Hammond
  5. HeroKirk Franklin
  6. PurifiedCeCe Winans
Years explored
1991–2011
Different winners
14
Category leader
Kirk Franklin · 3
About this record

Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album was first awarded in 1991, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

It was awarded for the last time in 2011.

It was previously known as Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.

It was renamed from Soul to R&B at the 2007 ceremony, halfway through this span.

From 2012 the Grammys awarded Best Gospel Album instead.

2000–2011

12 ceremonies

19912011

01 / The reigns

10 winners shaped this category.

The timeline turns the 2000–2011 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

  1. 01
    Kirk Franklin2 wins
  2. 02
    Yolanda Adams2 wins
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.
Yolanda Adams'00
Mary Mary'01
Yolanda Adams'02
Eartha'03
Donnie McClurkin'04
Smokie Norful'05
CeCe Winans'06
Kirk Franklin'07
Fred Hammond'08
Kirk Franklin'09
Heather Headley'10
BeBe & CeCe Winans'11

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

EMI Gospel leads the recorded label credits with 2 wins, 2000–2011. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

EMI Gospel2 wins
GospoCentric2 wins
Warner2 wins
Malaco1 win
PureSprings Gospel1 win
Sony1 win
Wins by label
  1. EMI Gospel220%
  2. GospoCentric220%
  3. Warner220%
  4. Malaco110%
  5. PureSprings Gospel110%
  6. Sony110%
  7. Other110%

2 further wins have no label on record and are not counted in the 10 above.

2 of these 12 wins have no label on record, so the chart covers the other 10.

03 / The near misses

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

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2011. Excludes 1 nominations credited to Various Artists, which names a compilation rather than an act.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    BeBe Winans
    3 noms
  2. 02
    J. Moss
    3 noms
  3. 03
    Israel and New Breed
    2 noms
  4. 04
    Kierra Sheard
    2 noms
  5. 05
    Tye Tribbett & G.A.
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Fred Hammond
    4L · 1W
  2. 02
    BeBe Winans
    3L · 0W
  3. 03
    J. Moss
    3L · 0W
  4. 04
    CeCe Winans
    2L · 1W
  5. 05
    Israel and New Breed
    2L · 0W
  6. 06
    Kierra Sheard
    2L · 0W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2000–2011. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2011BeBe & CeCe Winans (Still)
beat 4 others
  • Forever Jones (Get Ready)
  • Fred Hammond (Love Unstoppable)
  • VaShawn Mitchell (Triumphant)
  • Aaron Sledge (Aaron Sledge)
Malaco
2010Heather Headley (Audience of One)
beat 4 others
  • Sheri Jones-Moffett (Renewed)
  • J. Moss (Just James)
  • Smokie Norful (Smokie Norful: Live)
  • Kierra Sheard (Bold Right Life)
EMI Gospel
2009Kirk Franklin (The Fight of My Life)
beat 4 others
  • Jason Champion (Reflections)
  • Mary Mary (The Sound)
  • The Murrills (Donald Lawrence Introduces: Family Prayer)
  • Tye Tribbett & G.A. (Stand Out)
GospoCentric
2008Fred Hammond (Free to Worship)
beat 4 others
  • Coko (Grateful)
  • J. Moss (V2)
  • Trin-i-Tee 5:7 (T57)
  • Marvin Winans (Alone But Not Alone)
Verity Records
2007Kirk Franklin (Hero)
beat 4 others
  • Myron Butler & Levi (Set Me Free)
  • Israel and New Breed (A Timeless Christmas)
  • Kierra Sheard (This Is Me)
  • Tye Tribbett & G.A. (Victory Live!)
GospoCentric/Fo Yo Soul Entertainment/Zomba Group
2006CeCe Winans (Purified)
beat 4 others
  • Yolanda Adams – (Day By Day)
  • Mary Mary (Mary Mary)
  • J. Moss (The J.Moss Project)
  • BeBe Winans (Dream)
PureSprings Gospel
2005Smokie Norful (Nothing Without You)
beat 4 others
  • Tonéx & The Peculiar People (Out the Box)
  • Israel and New Breed (Live From Another Level)
  • Various Artists (Bishop T. D. Jakes Presents He-Motions)
  • Fred Hammond (Somethin' 'Bout Love)
EMI Gospel
2004Donnie McClurkin (...Again)
beat 4 others
  • T. D. Jakes & Various Artists (Follow The Star)
  • Ann Nesby (Make Me Better)
  • Kirk Whalum (The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter II)
  • Vickie Winans (Bringing It All Together)
Unknown
2003Eartha (Sidebars)
beat 4 others
  • Fred Hammond (Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3)
  • BeBe Winans (Live and Up Close)
  • Deitrick Haddon (Lost and Found)
  • Commissioned (The Commissioned Reunion Live)
Unknown
2002Yolanda Adams (The Experience)
beat 4 others
  • Fred Hammond (In Case You Missed It And Then Some)
  • Tramaine Hawkins (Still Tramaine)
  • Angie Winans (Melodies from the Heart)
  • Kim Burrell (Live In Concert)
Elektra
2001Mary Mary (Thankful)
beat 4 others
  • Fred Hammond & Radical For Christ (Purpose By Design)
  • Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Crusade Choir (Family Affair)
  • BeBe Winans (Love & Freedom)
  • CeCe Winans (Alabaster Box)
Columbia
2000Yolanda Adams (Mountain High... Valley Low)
beat 4 others
  • Gladys Knight (Many Different Roads)
  • Take 6 (So Cool)
  • Winans Phase 2 (We Got Next)
  • CeCe Winans (His Gift)
Elektra