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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Southern Gospel Album.

21 ceremonies, 1991–2011. 16 different winners. The longest run belongs to Randy Travis, with 2 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Diamond Rio in 2011 for The Reason.
Who has won the most?
Randy Travis, 3 wins (2004, 2005, 2007).
  1. The ReasonDiamond Rio
  2. Jason CrabbJason Crabb
  3. Lovin' LifeGaither Vocal Band
  4. Salt of the EarthRicky Skaggs, The Whites
  5. Glory Train: Songs of Faith, Worship, and PraiseRandy Travis
  6. Rock of Ages... Hymns and FaithAmy Grant
Years explored
1991–2011
Different winners
16
Category leader
Randy Travis · 3
About this record

Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass 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.

Its ground reopened in 2015 as Best Roots Gospel Album, which is a separate award rather than this one returning.

From 2012 the Grammys awarded Best Contemporary Christian Music Album instead.

2000–2011

12 ceremonies

19912011

01 / The reigns

Randy Travis 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
    Randy Travis3 wins
  2. 02
    Bill and Gloria Gaither and Their Homecoming Friends2 wins
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details.
Bill and Gloria Gaither and Their Homecoming Friends'00
Ricky Skaggs, and Kentucky Thunder'01
Bill and Gloria Gaither and Their Homecoming Friends'02
The Jordanaires, Larry Ford, the Light Crust Doughboys'03
Randy Travis'04–'05×2
Amy Grant'06
Randy Travis'07
Ricky Skaggs, The Whites'08
Gaither Vocal Band'09
Jason Crabb'10
Diamond Rio'11

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Word leads the recorded label credits with 4 wins, 2000–2011. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Word4 wins
Spring Hill Music Group2 wins
Skaggs Family Records1 win
Word Entertainment1 win
Wins by label
  1. Word450%
  2. Spring Hill Music Group225%
  3. Skaggs Family Records113%
  4. Word Entertainment113%

4 further wins have no label on record and are not counted in the 8 above.

4 of these 12 wins have no label on record, so the chart covers the other 8.

03 / The near misses

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

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2011. Excludes 2 nominations credited to Various artists, which names a compilation rather than an act.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    The Crabb Family
    3 noms
  2. 02
    The Oak Ridge Boys
    3 noms
  3. 03
    Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
    2 noms
  4. 04
    Karen Peck and New River
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Gaither Vocal Band
    3L · 1W
  2. 02
    The Crabb Family
    3L · 0W
  3. 03
    The Oak Ridge Boys
    3L · 0W
  4. 04
    Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
    2L · 0W
  5. 05
    Karen Peck and New River
    2L · 0W
  6. 06
    Randy Travis
    1L · 3W

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
2011Diamond Rio (The Reason)
beat 4 others
  • Austins Bridge (Times Like These)
  • Jeff & Sheri Easter (Expecting Good Things)
  • Ty Herndon (Journey On)
  • Karen Peck & New River (Live at Oak Tree: Karen Peck & New River)
Word
2010Jason Crabb (Jason Crabb)
beat 4 others
  • Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (Dream On)
  • Tracy Lawrence (The Rock)
  • Barry Scott & Second Wind (In God's Time)
  • Triumphant Quartet (Everyday)
Spring Hill Music Group
2009Gaither Vocal Band (Lovin' Life)
beat 4 others
  • The Booth Brothers (Room for More)
  • Charlie Louvin (Steps to Heaven)
  • Bart Millard (Hymned Again)
  • Karen Peck and New River (Ephesians One)
Spring Hill Music Group
2008Ricky Skaggs, The Whites (Salt of the Earth)
beat 5 others
  • Bill and Gloria Gaither and The Homecoming Friends (Amazing Grace)
  • Karen Peck and New River (Journey of Joy)
  • Billy Joe Shaver (Everybody's Brother)
  • Kenny & Amanda Smith Band (Tell Someone)
  • Various artists (I'll Fly Away: Country Hymns & Songs of Faith)
Skaggs Family Records
2007Randy Travis (Glory Train: Songs of Faith, Worship, and Praise)
beat 4 others
  • Kenny Bishop (Kenny Bishop)
  • Del McCoury Band (The Promised Land)
  • Gaither Vocal Band (Give It Away)
  • Alan Jackson (Precious Memories)
Word/Warner Bros. Nashville/Curb
2006Amy Grant (Rock of Ages... Hymns and Faith)
beat 4 others
  • The Crabb Family (Live At Brooklyn Tabernacle)
  • Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers (Sing Their Family Gospel Favorites)
  • The Jordanaires, Nokie Edwards, the Light Crust Doughboys, and Larry "T-Byrd" Gordon (Southern Meets Soul: An American Gospel Jubilee)
  • The Oak Ridge Boys (Common Thread)
Word Entertainment
2005Randy Travis (Worship & Faith)repeat
beat 4 others
  • The Crabb Family (Driven)
  • Art Greenhaw, The Jordanaires, Nokie Edwards, and the Light Crust Doughboys (20th Century Gospel: From Hymns to Blackwood Brothers Tribute to Christian Country)
  • Buddy Miller (Universal United House of Prayer)
  • Various artists (Amazing Grace 3: A Country Salute to Gospel)
Word
2004Randy Travis (Rise and Shine)
beat 4 others
  • Blue Highway (Wondrous Love)
  • The Crabb Family (The Walk)
  • Gaither Vocal Band (A Cappella)
  • Engelbert Humperdinck, The Blackwood Brothers Quartet, The Jordanaires and the Light Crust Doughboys (Always Hear the Harmony: The Gospel Sessions)
Word
2003The Jordanaires, Larry Ford, the Light Crust Doughboys (We Called Him Mr. Gospel Music: The James Blackwood Tribute Album)
beat 3 others
  • Charlie Daniels Band (How Sweet the Sound: 25 Favorite Hymns and Gospel Greats)
  • Gaither Vocal Band (Everything Good)
  • The Oak Ridge Boys (An Inconvenient Christmas)
Unknown
2002Bill and Gloria Gaither and Their Homecoming Friends (Bill & Gloria Gaither Present a Billy Graham Music Homecoming)
beat 4 others
  • Merle Haggard and Albert E. Brumley, Jr. (Two Old Friends)
  • Ann-Margret and The Jordanaires, the Light Crust Doughboys with James Blackwood (God Is Love: The Gospel Sessions)
  • The Oak Ridge Boys (From the Heart)
  • Randy Travis (Inspirational Journey)
Unknown
2001Ricky Skaggs, and Kentucky Thunder (Soldier of the Cross)
beat 4 others
  • The Jordanaires, the Light Crust Doughboys with James Blackwood (The Great Gospel Hit Parade: From Memphis to Nashville to Texas)
  • Cathedral Quartet (The Cathedrals: A Farewell Celebration)
  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (Just Over in Heaven)
  • Paul Williams & The Victory Trio (Old Ways & Old Paths)
Unknown
2000Bill and Gloria Gaither and Their Homecoming Friends (Kennedy Center Homecoming)
beat 4 others
  • Glen Campbell (A Glen Campbell Christmas)
  • Roy Clark (Roy Clark Sings & Plays Gospel Greats)
  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (Winding Through Life)
  • J. D. Sumner and the Stamp Quartet (The Final Sessions)
Unknown