Year | Winner(s) | Title | Nominees | Ref. |
1970 | Danny Davis, Nashville Brass | The Nashville Brass Featuring Danny Davis Play More Nashville Sounds | | |
1971 | Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed | Me & Jerry | | |
1972 | Chet Atkins | "Snowbird" | | |
1973 | Charlie McCoy | The Real McCoy | | |
1974 | Eric Weissberg, Steve Mandell | "Dueling Banjos" | | |
1975 | Chet Atkins, Merle Travis | The Atkins–Travis Traveling Show | | |
1976 | Chet Atkins | "The Entertainer" | | |
1977 | Chet Atkins, Les Paul | Chester and Lester | | |
1978 | Hargus "Pig" Robbins | Country Instrumentalist of the Year | | |
1979 | Asleep at the Wheel | "One O'Clock Jump" | | |
1980 | Doc Watson & Merle Watson | "Big Sandy/Leather Britches" | | |
1981 | Gilley's Urban Cowboy Band | "Orange Blossom Special/Hoedown" | | |
1982 | Chet Atkins | Country, After All These Years | | |
1983 | Roy Clark | "Alabama Jubilee" | | |
1984 | New South | "Fireball" | | |
1985 | Ricky Skaggs | "Wheel Hoss" | | |
1986 | Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler | "Cosmic Square Dance" | | |
1987 | Ricky Skaggs | "Raisin' the Dickens" | | |
1988 | Asleep at the Wheel | "String of Pars" | | |
1989 | Asleep at the Wheel | "Sugarfoot Rag" | | |
1990 | Randy Scruggs | "Amazing Grace" | | |
1991 | Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler | "So Soft, Your Goodbye" | | |
1992 | Mark O'Connor | The New Nashville Cats | | |
1993 | Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed | Sneakin' Around | | |
1994 | Asleep at the Wheel Featuring Eldon Shamblin, Johnny Gimble, Chet Atkins, Vince Gill, Marty Stuart & Reuben "Lucky Oceans" Gosfield | "Red Wing" | | |
1995 | Chet Atkins | "Young Thing" | | |
1996 | Asleep at the Wheel, Bela Fleck, Johnny Gimble | "Hightower" | | |
1997 | Chet Atkins | "Jam Man" | - Vassar Clements, Richard Greene, Chris Thile, Scott Nygaard, Todd Philips for "Scotland"
- Diamond Rio for "Big"
- Ronnie McCoury, David Grier, Stuart Duncan, Craig Smith, Todd Phillips for "Rawhide"
- Steve Wariner with Bryan Austin, Derek George, Jeffrey Steele, and Bryan White for "The Brickyard Boogie"
| |
1998 | Alison Krauss & Union Station | "Little Liza Jane" | | |
1999 | Randy Scruggs, Vince Gill | "A Soldier's Joy" | | |
2000 | Asleep at the Wheel featuring Tommy Allsup, Floyd Domino, Larry Franklin, Vince Gill & Steve Wariner | "Bob's Breakdowns" | | |
2001 | Alison Brown, Bela Fleck | "Leaving Cottondale" | | |
2002 | Various Artists | "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" | | |
2003 | Dixie Chicks | "Lil' Jack Slade" | | |
2004 | Alison Krauss & Union Station | "Cluck Old Hen" | | |
2005 | Nitty Gritty Dirt Band ft. Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Vassar Clements, Jerry Douglas | "Earl's Breakdown" | | |
2006 | Alison Krauss and Union Station | "Unionhouse Branch" | | |
2007 | Bryan Sutton, Doc Watson | "Whiskey Before Breakfast" | | |
2008 | Brad Paisley | "Throttleneck" | | |
2009 | Brad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert, Steve Wariner | "Cluster Pluck" | | |
2010 | Steve Wariner | "Producer's Medley" | | |
2011 | Marty Stuart | "Hummingbyrd" | | |