Every Grammys Best Country Instrumental Performance winner

12 ceremonies, 2000–2011. 11 different winners.

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.

Alison Krauss & Union Station ×2

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.

Asleep at the Wheel featuring Tommy Allsup, Floyd Domino, Larry Franklin, Vince Gill & Steve Wariner'00

Alison Brown, Béla Fleck'01

Various Artists'02

Dixie Chicks'03

Alison Krauss & Union Station'04

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band featuring Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Vassar Clements and Jerry Douglas'05

Alison Krauss & Union Station'06

Bryan Sutton, Doc Watson'07

Brad Paisley'08

Brad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert, Steve Wariner'09

Steve Wariner'10

Marty Stuart'11

Wins by label

Sony327%
Independent218%
Sugar Hill218%
Compass19%
DreamWorks Nashville19%
SelecTone19%
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 bar covers the other 11.

Who kept losing

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

Nickel Creek3 noms
Cherryholmes2 noms
The Greencards2 noms

Most losses

Nickel Creek3L · 0W
Brad Paisley2L · 1W
Cherryholmes2L · 0W
The Greencards2L · 0W
Alison Krauss & Union Station1L · 2W
Marty Stuart1L · 1W

The full list

Year	Winner	Label
2011	Marty 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
2010	Steve Wariner (Producer's Medley) beat 3 others Alison Brown (Under the (Five) Wire) The Greencards (The Crystal Merchant) Sarah Jarosz (Mansinneedof)	SelecTone
2009	Brad 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
2008	Brad Paisley (Throttleneck) beat 4 others Russ Barenberg (Little Monk) The Greencards (Mucky the Duck) Andy Statman (Rawhide!) The Time Jumpers (Fidoodlin')	Arista Nashville
2007	Bryan 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
2006	Alison 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
2005	Nitty 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
2004	Alison 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
2003	Dixie 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
2002	Various 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
2001	Alison 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
2000	Asleep 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

More Grammys categories

Pop Album Rap Album Rock Album Country Album Blues Album Folk Album Regional Roots Female Country Vocal Male Country Vocal Country Duo/Group Vocal Country Collaboration Trad. Folk Album Contemp. Folk Album Hawaiian Album Native American Album Zydeco/Cajun Album All 152 categories

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