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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Regional Roots.

14 ceremonies, 2012–2025. 11 different winners.

Who won most recently?
Kalani Pe'a in 2025 for Kuini.
Who has won the most?
Kalani Pe'a, 4 wins (2017, 2019, 2022, 2025).
  1. KuiniKalani Pe'a
  2. Live: Orpheum Theater NolaThe Lost Bayou Ramblers and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
  3. Live at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage FestivalRanky Tanky
  4. Kau Ka Pe'aKalani Pe'a
  5. AtmosphereNew Orleans Nightcrawlers
  6. Good TimeRanky Tanky
Years explored
2012–2025
Different winners
11
Category leader
Kalani Pe'a · 4
About this record

Best Regional Roots Music Album was first awarded in 2012, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

It took over from Best Hawaiian Music Album, Best Native American Music Album and Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album.

2012–2025

14 ceremonies

20122025

01 / The reigns

11 winners shaped this category.

The timeline turns the 2012–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

  1. 01
    Kalani Pe'a4 wins
  2. 02
    Ranky Tanky2 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.
Rebirth Brass Band'12
Wayne Toups, Steve Riley and Wilson Savoy'13
Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience'14
Jo-El Sonnier'15
Jon Cleary'16
Kalani Pe'a'17
The Lost Bayou Ramblers'18
Kalani Pe'a'19
Ranky Tanky'20
New Orleans Nightcrawlers'21
Kalani Pe'a'22
Ranky Tanky'23
The Lost Bayou Ramblers and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra'24
Kalani Pe'a'25

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Kalani Pe'a Music LLC leads the recorded label credits with 2 wins, 2012–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Kalani Pe'a Music LLC2 wins
Pe'a Records & Entertainment2 wins
Basin Street1 win
Bloodline Music1 win
FHQ1 win
Independent1 win
Wins by label
  1. Kalani Pe'a Music LLC217%
  2. Pe'a Records & Entertainment217%
  3. Basin Street18%
  4. Bloodline Music18%
  5. FHQ18%
  6. Independent18%
  7. Other433%

2 further wins have no label on record and are not counted in the 12 above.

2 of these 14 wins have no label on record, so the chart covers the other 12.

03 / The near misses

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

Counting nominations in this category only, 2012–2025.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Northern Cree
    3 noms
  2. 02
    Cha Wa
    2 noms
  3. 03
    Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers
    2 noms
  4. 04
    Joe Tohonnie Jr.
    2 noms
  5. 05
    Natalie Ai Kamauu
    2 noms
  6. 06
    The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Northern Cree
    3L · 0W
  2. 02
    Cha Wa
    2L · 0W
  3. 03
    Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers
    2L · 0W
  4. 04
    Joe Tohonnie Jr.
    2L · 0W
  5. 05
    Natalie Ai Kamauu
    2L · 0W
  6. 06
    The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.
    2L · 0W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2012–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2025Kalani Pe'a (Kuini)
beat 4 others
  • Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & The Golden Eagles featuring J'Wan Boudreaux (Live at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
  • New Breed Brass Band featuring Trombone Shorty (Live at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
  • The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. (Stories from The Battlefield)
  • Sean Ardoin and Kreole Rock And Soul (25 Back to My Roots)
Pe'a Records & Entertainment
2024The Lost Bayou Ramblers and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (Live: Orpheum Theater Nola)tieBuckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band (New Beginnings)
beat 4 others
  • Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers (Live at the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
  • The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. (Live at the Maple Leaf)
  • New Breed Brass Band (Made in New Orleans)
  • New Orleans Nightcrawlers (Too Much to Hold)
Bloodline Music
2023Ranky Tanky (Live at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
beat 4 others
  • Sean Ardoin & Kreole Rock and Soul featuring LSU Golden Band from Tigerland (Full Circle)
  • Halau Hula Keali'i O Nalani (Halau Hula Keali'i O Nalani - Live at the Getty Center)
  • Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas (Lucky Man)
  • Natalie Ai Kamauu (Natalie Noelani)
Unknown
2022Kalani Pe'a (Kau Ka Pe'a)
beat 4 others
  • Big Chief Monk Boudreaux (Bloodstains & Teardrops)
  • Corey Ledet Zydeco (Corey Ledet Zydeco)
  • Sean Ardoin & Kreole Rock and Soul (Live in New Orleans!)
  • Cha Wa (My People)
Pe'a Records & Entertainment
2021New Orleans Nightcrawlers (Atmosphere)
beat 4 others
  • Cameron Dupuy & the Cajun Troubadours (Cameron Dupuy & the Cajun Troubadours)
  • Nā Wai 'Ehā (Lovely Sunrise)
  • Black Lodge Singers (My Relatives "Nikso Kowaiks")
  • Sweet Cecilia (A Tribute to Al Berard)
Independent
2020Ranky Tanky (Good Time)
beat 4 others
  • Various Artists, Imua Garza and Kimié Miner (producers) (Hawaiian Lullaby)
  • Amy Hānaiali'i (Kalawai'anui)
  • Rebirth Brass Band (Recorded Live at the 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
  • Northern Cree (When It's Cold – Cree Round Dance Songs)
Resilience Music Alliance
2019Kalani Pe'a (No 'Ane'i)
beat 4 others
  • Na Hoa (Aloha From Na Hoa)
  • Sean Ardoin (Kreole Rock and Soul)
  • Young Spirit (Mewasinsational – Cree Round Dance Songs)
  • Cha Wa (Spyboy)
Kalani Pe'a Music LLC
2018The Lost Bayou Ramblers (Kalenda)
beat 4 others
  • Ho'okena (Hoʻokena 3.0)
  • Northern Cree (Miyo Kekisepa, Make a Stand (Live))
  • Josh Tatofi (Pua Kiele)
  • Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers (Top of the Mountain)
Rice Pump
2017Kalani Pe'a (E Walea)
beat 4 others
  • Barry Jean Ancelet & Sam Broussard (Broken Promised Land)
  • Roddie Romero & The Hub City All-Stars (Gulfstream)
  • Various Artists, Joshua Caffery and Joel Savoy, (producers) (I Wanna Sing Right: Rediscovering Lomax in the Evangeline Country)
  • Northern Cree (It's a Cree Thing)
Kalani Pe'a Music LLC
2016Jon Cleary (Go Go Juice)
beat 4 others
  • Windwalker and The MCW (Generations)
  • The Revelers (Get Ready)
  • Keali'i Reichel (Kawaiokalena)
  • Natalie Ai Kamauu (La La La La)
FHQ
2015Jo-El Sonnier (The Legacy)
beat 4 others
  • Joe Tohonnie Jr. (Ceremony)
  • Kamaka Kukona (Hanu 'A'ala)
  • Bonsoir Catin (Light the Stars)
  • Magnolia Sisters (Love's Lies)
Takau
2014Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience (Dockside Sessions)
beat 4 others
  • Joe Tohonnie Jr. (Apache Blessing & Crown Dance Songs)
  • Kahulanui (Hula Ku'i)
  • Zachary Richard (Le Fou)
  • Hot 8 Brass Band (The Life & Times of... The Hot 8 Brass Band)
Unknown
2013Wayne Toups, Steve Riley and Wilson Savoy (The Band Courtbouillon)
beat 4 others
  • Keola Beamer (Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love))
  • Corey Ledet, Anthony Dopsie, Dwayne Dopsie and Andre Thierry (Nothin' But the Best)
  • Weldon Kekauoha (Pilialoha)
  • Radmilla Cody (Shi Kéyah – Songs for the People)
Valcour
2012Rebirth Brass Band (Rebirth of New Orleans)
beat 4 others
  • C.J. Chenier (Can't Sit Down)
  • Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys (Grand Isle)
  • Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra (Not Just Another Polka)
  • George Kahumoku Jr. (Wao Akua – The Forest of the Gods)
Basin Street