Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album

Award for best contemporary Blues album From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album was awarded from 1988 to 2011 and from 2017 onwards. Until 1992 the award was known as Best Contemporary Blues Performance and in 1989 was awarded to a song rather than to an album.

Awarded forquality contemporary blues albums
CountryUnited States
Presented byNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First award1988
Quick facts Awarded for, Country ...
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album
Preacher Kids by Robert Randolph is the current recipient.
Awarded forquality contemporary blues albums
CountryUnited States
Presented byNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First award1988
Currently held byRobert Randolph – Preacher Kids (2026)
Websitegrammy.com
Close

The award was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season in a major overhaul of Grammy categories. From 2012 onwards, the category was merged with the Best Traditional Blues Album category to form the new Best Blues Album category. However, in 2016 the Grammy organisation decided to revert the situation back to the pre-2012 era, with two separate categories for traditional and contemporary blues recordings respectively.[1]

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for music released in the previous year. Buddy Guy and Keb' Mo hold the record of most wins in the category with four each, followed by Robert Cray, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Taj Mahal and Fantastic Negrito, all with three wins.

Recipients

Three-time winner Robert Cray.
Three-time winner Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Four-time winner Buddy Guy.
Four-time winner Keb' Mo.
Three-time winner Taj Mahal.
Etta James, the first of the two female winners of the award.
2007 winner Irma Thomas.
Three-time winner Fantastic Negrito.

1980s

More information Year, Work ...
Year Work Artist
1988
Strong Persuader The Robert Cray Band
After All Bobby "Blue" Bland
Glazed Earl King
On a Night Like This Buckwheat Zydeco
"Standing on the Edge of Love" B. B. King
1989
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark The Robert Cray Band
Blues You Can Use Bobby "Blue" Bland
"Low Commotion" Ry Cooder
Seven Year Itch Etta James
Talk to Your Daughter Robben Ford
Close

1990s

More information Year, Work ...
Year Work Artist
1990
In Step Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
King of the Blues: 1989 B. B. King
Live from Austin Delbert McClinton
Midnight Run Bobby "Blue" Bland
"Wang Dang Doodle" Koko Taylor
1991
Family Style Jimmie Vaughan and Stevie Ray Vaughan
Jump for Joy Koko Taylor
Midnight Stroll The Robert Cray Band featuring the Memphis Horns
"Red Hot & Blue" B. B. King and Lee Atwater
Stickin' to My Guns Etta James
1992
Damn Right, I've Got the Blues Buddy Guy
Iceman Albert Collins
Let Me In Johnny Winter
Live! Simply the Best Irma Thomas
Signature Charlie Musselwhite
1993
The Sky Is Crying Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
I Was Warned The Robert Cray Band
Peace to the Neighborhood Pops Staples
Robben Ford and the Blue Line Robben Ford and the Blue Line
The Right Time Etta James
1994
Feels Like Rain Buddy Guy
Hey, Where's Your Brother? Johnny Winter
Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters Paul Rodgers
Mystic Mile Robben Ford and the Blue Line
Wake Up Call John Mayall
1995
Father Father Pops Staples
Bow Wow Johnny "Guitar" Watson
Force of Nature Koko Taylor
Shame + A Sin The Robert Cray Band
Strange Pleasure Jimmie Vaughan
1996
Slippin' In Buddy Guy
Blue Night Percy Sledge
Live '92-'93 Albert Collins and the Icebreakers
The Man Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Some Rainy Morning The Robert Cray Band
1997
Just Like You Keb' Mo'
Live! The Real Deal Buddy Guy with G. E. Smith and the Saturday Night Live Band
Long Way Home Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
A Man Amongst Men Bo Diddley
Phantom Blues Taj Mahal
Sad Street Bobby "Blue" Bland
1998
Señor Blues Taj Mahal
Come On Home Boz Scaggs
Reckless Luther Allison
Sweet Potato Pie The Robert Cray Band
Trippin' Live Dr. John
1999
Slow Down Keb' Mo'
Deuces Wild B. B. King
Heavy Love Buddy Guy
Life, Love & the Blues Etta James
Sing It! Marcia Ball, Irma Thomas and Tracy Nelson
Close

2000s

More information Year, Work ...
Year Work Artist
2000
Take Your Shoes Off The Robert Cray Band
Continental Drifter Charlie Musselwhite
Live in Chicago Luther Allison
Wander This World Jonny Lang
Welcome to Little Milton Little Milton
2001
Shoutin' in Key Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band
Hoochie Man Bobby Rush
Royal Blue Koko Taylor
Shake Hands with Shorty North Mississippi Allstars
Wicked Shemekia Copeland
2002
Nothing Personal Delbert McClinton
Creole Moon Dr. John
The Door Keb' Mo'
Matriarch of the Blues Etta James
Sweet Tea Buddy Guy
2003
Don't Give Up on Me Solomon Burke
51 Phantom North Mississippi Allstars
Burnin' Down the House Etta James and The Roots Band
One Night in America Charlie Musselwhite
Room to Breathe Delbert McClinton
2004
Let's Roll Etta James
Rediscovered Howard Tate
The Road We're On Sonny Landreth
So Many Rivers Marcia Ball
Wait for Me Susan Tedeschi
2005
Keep It Simple Keb' Mo'
I'm a Bluesman Johnny Winter
N'Awlinz Dis Dat or d'Udda Dr. John
Sanctuary Charlie Musselwhite
What's Wrong with This Picture? Van Morrison
2006
Cost of Living Delbert McClinton
Bring 'Em In Buddy Guy
Electric Blue Watermelon North Mississippi Allstars
Make Do with What You Got Solomon Burke
Twenty The Robert Cray Band
2007
After the Rain Irma Thomas
Hope and Desire Susan Tedeschi
Live from Across the Pond The Robert Cray Band
Sippiana Hericane Dr. John and the Lower 911
Suitcase Keb' Mo'
2008
The Road to Escondido J. J. Cale and Eric Clapton
Into the Blues Joan Armatrading
Is It News Doyle Bramhall
The Scene of the Crime Bettye LaVette
Truth Robben Ford
2009
City That Care Forgot Dr. John and the Lower 911
Like a Fire Solomon Burke
Maestro Taj Mahal
Peace, Love & BBQ Marcia Ball
Simply Grand Irma Thomas
Close

2010s

More information Year, Work ...
Year Work Artist
2010
[2]
Already Free The Derek Trucks Band
Back to the River Susan Tedeschi
Live: Hope at the Hideout Mavis Staples
This Time The Robert Cray Band
The Truth According to Ruthie Foster Ruthie Foster
2011
[3]
Living Proof Buddy Guy
Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook Bettye LaVette
Live! in Chicago Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band featuring Hubert Sumlin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bryan Lee and Buddy Flett
Nothing's Impossible Solomon Burke
Tribal Dr. John and the Lower 911
2017
[4]
The Last Days of Oakland Fantastic Negrito
Bloodline Kenny Neal
Everybody Wants a Piece Joe Louis Walker
Give It Back to You The Record Company
Love Wins Again Janiva Magness
2018
[5]
TajMo Taj Mahal and Keb' Mo'
Got Soul Robert Randolph and the Family Band
Live from the Fox Oakland Tedeschi Trucks Band
Recorded Live in Lafayette Sonny Landreth
Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm Robert Cray and Hi Rhythm
2019
[6]
Please Don't Be Dead Fantastic Negrito
Cry No More Danielle Nicole
Here in Babylon Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps
Out of the Blues Boz Scaggs
Victor Wainwright and the Train Victor Wainwright and the Train
Close

2020s

More information Year, Work ...
Year Work Artist
2020
[7]
This Land Gary Clark Jr.
Brighter Days Robert Randolph and the Family Band
Keep On Southern Avenue
Somebody Save Me Sugaray Rayford
Venom & Faith Larkin Poe
2021
[8]
Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? Fantastic Negrito
Blackbirds Bettye LaVette
The Juice G. Love
Live at the Paramount Ruthie Foster Big Band
Up and Rolling North Mississippi Allstars
2022
[9]
662 Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
Delta Kream The Black Keys featuring Eric Deaton and Kenny Brown
Fire It Up Steve Cropper
Royal Tea Joe Bonamassa
Uncivil War Shemekia Copeland
2023
[10]
Brother Johnny Edgar Winter
Bloodline Maintenance Ben Harper
Crown Eric Gales
Done Come Too Far Shemekia Copeland
Set Sail North Mississippi Allstars
2024
[11]
Blood Harmony Larkin Poe
Death Wish Blues Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton
Healing Time Ruthie Foster
LaVette! Bettye LaVette
Live in London Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
2025
[12]
Mileage Ruthie Foster
Blame It on Eve Shemekia Copeland
Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 Joe Bonamassa
Friendlytown Steve Cropper and the Midnight Hour
The Fury Antonio Vergara
2026
[13]
Preacher Kids Robert Randolph
Breakthrough Joe Bonamassa
Family Southern Avenue
Paper Doll Samantha Fish
A Tribute to LJK Eric Gales
Close

Artists with multiple wins

Artists with multiple nominations

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI