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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Country Instrumental.

42 ceremonies, 1970–2011. 31 different winners. The longest run belongs to Asleep at the Wheel, with 2 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Marty Stuart in 2011 for Hummingbyrd.
Who has won the most?
Chet Atkins, 5 wins (1972, 1976, 1982, 1995, 1997).
  1. HummingbyrdMarty Stuart
  2. Producer's MedleySteve Wariner
  3. Cluster PluckBrad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert, Steve Wariner
  4. ThrottleneckBrad Paisley
  5. Whiskey Before BreakfastBryan Sutton, Doc Watson
  6. Unionhouse BranchAlison Krauss & Union Station
Years explored
1970–2011
Different winners
31
Category leader
Chet Atkins · 5
About this record

Best Country Instrumental Performance was first awarded in 1970, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

It was awarded for the last time in 2011.

From 2012 its instrumental recordings moved to Best Country Solo Performance or Best Country Duo/Group Performance depending on the size of the act.

2000–2011

12 ceremonies

19702011

01 / The reigns

11 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
    Alison Krauss & Union Station2 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.
Bob's Breakdowns'00
Alison Brown, Béla Fleck'01
Various Artists'02
Dixie Chicks'03
Alison Krauss & Union Station'04
Earl's Breakdown'05
Alison Krauss & Union Station'06
Bryan Sutton, Doc Watson'07
Brad Paisley'08
Cluster Pluck'09
Steve Wariner'10
Marty Stuart'11

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Sony leads the recorded label credits with 3 wins, 2000–2011. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Sony3 wins
Independent2 wins
Sugar Hill2 wins
Compass1 win
DreamWorks Nashville1 win
SelecTone1 win
Wins by label
  1. Sony327%
  2. Independent218%
  3. Sugar Hill218%
  4. Compass19%
  5. DreamWorks Nashville19%
  6. SelecTone19%
  7. Other19%

1 further win has no label on record and is not counted in the 11 above.

1 of these 12 wins has no label on record, so the chart covers the other 11.

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
    Nickel Creek
    3 noms
  2. 02
    Cherryholmes
    2 noms
  3. 03
    The Greencards
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Nickel Creek
    3L · 0W
  2. 02
    Brad Paisley
    2L · 1W
  3. 03
    Cherryholmes
    2L · 0W
  4. 04
    The Greencards
    2L · 0W
  5. 05
    Alison Krauss & Union Station
    1L · 2W
  6. 06
    Marty Stuart
    1L · 1W

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
2011Marty Stuart (Hummingbyrd)
beat 4 others
  • Cherryholmes (Tattoo of a Smudge)
  • The Infamous Stringdusters (Magic #9)
  • Punch Brothers (New Chance Blues)
  • Darrell Scott (Willow Creek)
Sugar Hill
2010Steve Wariner (Producer's Medley)
beat 3 others
  • Alison Brown (Under the (Five) Wire)
  • The Greencards (The Crystal Merchant)
  • Sarah Jarosz (Mansinneedof)
SelecTone
2009Brad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert, Steve Wariner (Cluster Pluck)
beat 4 others
  • Cherryholmes (Sumatra)
  • Jerry Douglas, Lloyd Green (Two Small Cars in Rome)
  • Béla Fleck & The Flecktones (Sleigh Ride)
  • Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny, Jerry Douglas, Bruce Hornsby (Is This America? (Katrina 2005))
Arista Nashville
2008Brad Paisley (Throttleneck)
beat 4 others
  • Russ Barenberg (Little Monk)
  • The Greencards (Mucky the Duck)
  • Andy Statman (Rawhide!)
  • The Time Jumpers (Fidoodlin')
Arista Nashville
2007Bryan Sutton, Doc Watson (Whiskey Before Breakfast)
beat 4 others
  • Casey Driessen (Jerusalem Ridge)
  • Tommy Emmanuel (Gameshow Rag/Cannonball Rag)
  • Chris Thile (The Eleventh Reel)
  • Jim Van Cleve (Nature of the Beast)
Sugar Hill
2006Alison Krauss & Union Station (Unionhouse Branch)
beat 4 others
  • Charlie Daniels (I'll Fly Away)
  • Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Béla Fleck (Who's Your Uncle?)
  • Nickel Creek (Scotch & Chocolate)
  • Brad Paisley (Time Warp)
Rounder
2005Nitty Gritty Dirt Band featuring Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Vassar Clements and Jerry Douglas (Earl's Breakdown)
beat 4 others
  • Asleep at the Wheel (Billy in the Low Ground)
  • Sam Bush (Puppies 'n Knapsacks)
  • Albert Lee, Vince Gill and Brad Paisley (Luxury Liner)
  • Mark O'Connor, Chris Thile, Bryan Sutton and Byron House (Bowtie)
Unknown
2004Alison Krauss & Union Station (Cluck Old Hen)
beat 4 others
  • Ray Benson (Ain't Chet Yet)
  • Brad Paisley ft. Redd Volkaert (Spaghetti Western Swing)
  • Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs (Pick Along)
  • Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder (Get Up John)
Rounder
2003Dixie Chicks (Lil' Jack Slade)
beat 4 others
  • Bering Strait (Bearing Straight)
  • The Chieftains, Earl Scruggs (Sally Goodin)
  • Béla Fleck (Bear Mountain Hop)
  • Nickel Creek (Smoothie Song)
Columbia/Monument
2002Various Artists (Foggy Mountain Breakdown)
beat 4 others
  • Asleep at the Wheel, Brad Paisley (Sugarfoot Rag)
  • Bill Kirchen (Poultry in Motion)
  • Alison Krauss & Union Station (Choctaw Hayride)
  • Brad Paisley (Munster Rag)
MCA Nashville
2001Alison Brown, Béla Fleck (Leaving Cottondale)
beat 4 others
  • Nickel Creek (Ode to a Butterfly)
  • Tim O'Brien, Darrell Scott (The Second Mouse)
  • Keith Urban (Rollercoaster)
  • Steve Wariner, Ryan Wariner (Bloodlines)
Compass
2000Asleep at the Wheel featuring Tommy Allsup, Floyd Domino, Larry Franklin, Vince Gill & Steve Wariner (Bob's Breakdowns)
beat 4 others
  • Del McCoury, Doc Watson & Mac Wiseman (Black Mountain Rag)
  • Marty Stuart & Earl Scruggs (Mr. John Henry, Steel Driving Man)
  • Marty Stuart (The Greatest Love of All Time (Reprise))
  • Steve Wariner (The Harry Shuffle)
DreamWorks Nashville