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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Male Country Vocal.

47 ceremonies, 1965–2011. 23 different winners. The longest run belongs to Vince Gill, with 5 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Keith Urban in 2011 for 'Til Summer Comes Around.
Who has won the most?
Vince Gill, 9 wins (1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2007).
  1. 'Til Summer Comes AroundKeith Urban
  2. Sweet ThingKeith Urban
  3. Letter to MeBrad Paisley
  4. Stupid BoyKeith Urban
  5. The Reason WhyVince Gill
  6. You'll Think of MeKeith Urban
Years explored
1965–2011
Different winners
23
Category leader
Vince Gill · 9
About this record

Best Male Country Vocal Performance was first awarded in 1965, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

It was awarded for the last time in 2011.

From 2012 the Grammys awarded Best Country Solo Performance instead.

2000–2011

12 ceremonies

19652011

01 / The reigns

Keith Urban set the longest run.

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

  1. 01
    Keith Urban4 wins
  2. 02
    Johnny Cash2 wins
  3. 03
    Vince Gill2 wins
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details.
George Jones'00
Johnny Cash'01
Ralph Stanley'02
Johnny Cash'03
Vince Gill'04
Tim McGraw'05
Keith Urban'06
Vince Gill'07
Keith Urban'08
Brad Paisley'09
Keith Urban'10–'11×2

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Universal leads the recorded label credits with 7 wins, 2000–2011. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Universal7 wins
American1 win
BANG1 win
Curb1 win
Sony1 win
Warner1 win
Wins by label
  1. Universal758%
  2. American18%
  3. BANG18%
  4. Curb18%
  5. Sony18%
  6. Warner18%

03 / The near misses

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

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2011.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    George Strait
    4 noms
  2. 02
    Lyle Lovett
    4 noms
  3. 03
    Jamey Johnson
    3 noms
  4. 04
    Willie Nelson
    3 noms
  5. 05
    Alan Jackson
    2 noms
  6. 06
    Dierks Bentley
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Tim McGraw
    5L · 1W
  2. 02
    George Strait
    4L · 0W
  3. 03
    Lyle Lovett
    4L · 0W
  4. 04
    Jamey Johnson
    3L · 0W
  5. 05
    Willie Nelson
    3L · 0W
  6. 06
    Alan Jackson
    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
2011Keith Urban ('Til Summer Comes Around)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Jamey Johnson (Macon)
  • Toby Keith (Cryin' for Me (Wayman's Song))
  • David Nail (Turning Home)
  • Chris Young (Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song))
Capitol Nashville
2010Keith Urban (Sweet Thing)
beat 4 others
  • Trace Adkins (All I Ask for Anymore)
  • Billy Currington (People Are Crazy)
  • Jamey Johnson (High Cost of Living)
  • George Strait (Living for the Night)
Capitol Nashville
2009Brad Paisley (Letter to Me)
beat 4 others
  • Trace Adkins (You're Gonna Miss This)
  • Jamey Johnson (In Color)
  • James Otto (Just Got Started Lovin' You)
  • George Strait (Troubadour)
Arista Nashville
2008Keith Urban (Stupid Boy)
beat 4 others
  • Dierks Bentley (Long Trip Alone)
  • Alan Jackson (A Woman's Love)
  • Tim McGraw (If You're Reading This)
  • George Strait (Give It Away)
Capitol Nashville
2007Vince Gill (The Reason Why)
beat 4 others
  • Dierks Bentley (Every Mile a Memory)
  • George Strait (The Seashores of Old Mexico)
  • Josh Turner (Would You Go with Me)
  • Keith Urban (Once in a Lifetime)
MCA Nashville
2006Keith Urban (You'll Think of Me)
beat 5 others
  • George Jones (Funny How Time Slips Away)
  • Toby Keith (As Good as I Once Was)
  • Delbert McClinton (Midnight Communion)
  • Willie Nelson (Good Ol' Boys)
  • Brad Paisley (Alcohol)
Capitol Nashville
2005Tim McGraw (Live Like You Were Dying)
beat 4 others
  • Johnny Cash (Engine One-Forty-Three)
  • Lyle Lovett (In My Own Mind)
  • Willie Nelson (You Are My Flower)
  • Keith Urban (You'll Think of Me)
Curb
2004Vince Gill (Next Big Thing)
beat 5 others
  • Ray Benson (Annabelle)
  • Lyle Lovett (My Baby Don't Tolerate)
  • Tim McGraw (She's My Kind of Rain)
  • Joe Nichols (Brokenheartsville)
  • Randy Travis (Three Wooden Crosses)
MCA Nashville
2003Johnny Cash (Give My Love to Rose)
beat 4 others
  • Pat Green (Three Days)
  • Alan Jackson (Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning))
  • Joe Nichols (The Impossible)
  • Brad Paisley (I'm Gonna Miss Her)
American/Lost Highway
2002Ralph Stanley (O Death)
beat 5 others
  • Ryan Adams (Lovesick Blues)
  • Johnny Cash (I Dreamed About Mama Last Night)
  • Lyle Lovett (San Antonio Girl)
  • Tim McGraw (Grown Men Don't Cry)
  • Willie Nelson (Maria (Shut Up and Kiss Me))
Lost Highway/Mercury
2001Johnny Cash (Solitary Man)
beat 4 others
  • Vince Gill (Feels Like Love)
  • Billy Gilman (One Voice)
  • Tim McGraw (My Best Friend)
  • Dwight Yoakam (A Thousand Miles from Nowhere (Live))
BANG
2000George Jones (Choices)
beat 4 others
  • Vince Gill (Don't Come Cryin' to Me)
  • Lyle Lovett (That's Right (You're Not from Texas))
  • Tim McGraw (Please Remember Me)
  • Dwight Yoakam (Crazy Little Thing Called Love)
Asylum