Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording
Encyclopedia
The Grammy Award
for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording was awarded from 1960 to 1986. During this time the award had several minor name changes:
In 1987 the award was split into two new awards: the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album
and the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album
.
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording was awarded from 1960 to 1986. During this time the award had several minor name changes:
- From 1960 to 1961 the award was known as Best Performance - Folk
- From 1962 to 1967 it was awarded as Best Folk Recording
- From 1968 to 1970 it was awarded as Best Folk Performance
- In 1971 and from 1973 to 1974 the award was known as Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording (including traditional blues)
- In 1972 and from 1975 to 1982 it was awarded as Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording
- From 1983 to 1986 it was awarded as Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording
In 1987 the award was split into two new awards: the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album
Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album
The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album was awarded from 1987 to 2011. Until 1993 the award was known as the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Recording.An award for Best Contemporary Folk Album was also presented...
and the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album was awarded from 1987 to 2011. Until 1993 the award was known as the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Recording. In 2007, this category was renamed Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album...
.
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.
1960s
- Grammy Awards of 1960Grammy Awards of 1960The second Grammy Awards were held on November 29, 1959. They recognized musical accomplishments by performers for that particular year. Duke Ellington won three awards.-Award winners:*Record of the Year**Bobby Darin for "Mack the Knife"*Album of the Year...
- The Kingston TrioThe Kingston TrioThe Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds...
for The Kingston Trio at LargeAt LargeIn reviewing At Large for Allmusic, music critic Bruce Eder wrote the album "shows in the far more complex sound achieved by the trio throughout this album, with voices and instruments more closely interwoven than on their earlier studio recordings and achieving control over their volume that, even...
- The Kingston Trio
- Grammy Awards of 1961Grammy Awards of 1961The third Grammy Awards were held on April 13, 1961. They recognized musical accomplishments by the performers for the year 1960. Bob Newhart and Henry Mancini each won three awards.-Award winners:*Record of the Year...
- Harry BelafonteHarry BelafonteHarold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...
for "Swing Dat Hammer"
- Harry Belafonte
- Grammy Awards of 1962Grammy Awards of 1962The 4th Grammy Awards were held May 29, 1962. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1961.-Award winners:*Record of the Year**Henry Mancini for "Moon River"*Album of the Year...
- Belafonte Folk Singers for Belafonte Folk Singers at Home and Abroad
- Grammy Awards of 1963Grammy Awards of 1963The 5th Grammy Awards were held on May 15, 1963. They recognized accomplishments by musicians for the year 1962.- Award winners :*Record of the Year**Tony Bennett for "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"*Album of the Year...
- Peter, Paul and Mary for "If I Had a HammerIf I Had a Hammer"If I Had a Hammer " is a song written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays. It was written in 1949 in support of the progressive movement, and was first recorded by The Weavers, a folk music quartet composed of Seeger, Hays, Ronnie Gilbert and Fred Hellerman, and then by Peter, Paul and Mary.- Early...
"
- Peter, Paul and Mary for "If I Had a Hammer
- Grammy Awards of 1964Grammy Awards of 1964The 6th Grammy Awards were held on May 12, 1964. They recognized accomplishments by musicians for the year 1963.-Award winners:*Record of the Year**Henry Mancini for "Days of Wine and Roses"*Album of the Year...
- Peter, Paul and MaryPeter, Paul and MaryPeter, Paul and Mary were an American folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers...
for "Blowin' in the WindBlowin' in the Wind"Blowin' in the Wind" is a song written by Bob Dylan and released on his album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963. Although it has been described as a protest song, it poses a series of questions about peace, war and freedom...
"
- Peter, Paul and Mary
- Grammy Awards of 1965Grammy Awards of 1965The 7th Grammy Awards were held in 1965. They recognized accomplishments of musicians for the year 1964.-Award winners:*Record of the Year**Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz for "The Girl from Ipanema"*Album of the Year...
- Gale GarnettGale GarnettGale Zoë Garnett is a New Zealand-born Canadian singer best known in the United States for her Grammy-winning folk hit "We'll Sing in the Sunshine." Garnett has since carved out a career as a writer and actress.-Biography:...
for We'll Sing in the SunshineWe'll Sing in the Sunshine"We'll Sing in the Sunshine" is a 1964 hit song written and recorded by Gale Garnett which reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending 5 September 1964. The song also enjoyed success on easy listening and country music radio stations, spending seven weeks at number one on...
- Gale Garnett
- Grammy Awards of 1966Grammy Awards of 1966The 8th Grammy Awards were held March 15, 1966. They recognized accomplishments of musicians for the year 1965.-Award winners:*Record of the Year...
- Harry BelafonteHarry BelafonteHarold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...
& Miriam MakebaMiriam MakebaMiriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
for An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba
- Harry Belafonte
- Grammy Awards of 1967Grammy Awards of 1967The 9th Grammy Awards were held March 2, 1967. They recognized accomplishments of musicians for the year 1966. The 9th Grammy Awards is notable for not presenting the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.-Award winners:*Record of the Year...
- Cortelia ClarkCortelia ClarkCortelia Clark was an African American blues singer and guitarist, known for his performances on the streets of Nashville...
for Blues in the Street
- Cortelia Clark
- Grammy Awards of 1968Grammy Awards of 1968The 10th Grammy Awards were held February 29, 1968. They recognized accomplishments of musicians for the year 1967.-Award winners:*Record of the Year**Johnny Rivers & Marc Gordon & The 5th Dimension for "Up, Up and Away"*Album of the Year...
- John HartfordJohn HartfordJohn Cowan Hartford was an American folk, country and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive knowledge of Mississippi River lore...
for "Gentle on My Mind"
- John Hartford
- Grammy Awards of 1969Grammy Awards of 1969The 11th Grammy Awards were held on March 12, 1969. They recognized accomplishments of musicians for the year 1968.-Award winners:*Record of the Year**Paul Simon & Roy Halee & Simon & Garfunkel for "Mrs...
- Judy CollinsJudy CollinsJudith Marjorie "Judy" Collins is an American singer and songwriter, known for her eclectic tastes in the material she records ; and for her social activism. She is an alumna of the University of Colorado.-Musical career:Collins was born and raised in Seattle, Washington...
for "Both Sides NowBoth Sides Now (song)"Both Sides, Now" is a single by Joni Mitchell. Her recording first appeared on the album Clouds, released in 1969. She re-recorded the song in a jazz style for the album of the same name, released in 2000....
"
- Judy Collins
1970s
- Grammy Awards of 1970Grammy Awards of 1970The 12th Grammy Awards were held on March 11, 1970. They recognized accomplishments of musicians for the year 1969.-Award winners:*Record of the Year**Bones Howe & The 5th Dimension for "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"*Album of the Year...
- Joni MitchellJoni MitchellJoni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
for Clouds
- Joni Mitchell
- Grammy Awards of 1971Grammy Awards of 1971The 13th Grammy Awards were held on 16 March 1971, and was the first time the ceremonies were broadcast on television by ABC. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1970...
- T-Bone WalkerT-Bone WalkerAaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker was a critically acclaimed American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who was one of the most influential pioneers and innovators of the jump blues and electric blues sound. He is the first musician recorded playing blues with the...
for Good Feelin
- T-Bone Walker
- Grammy Awards of 1972Grammy Awards of 1972The 14th Grammy Awards were held March 15, 1972, and were broadcast live on television in the United States by ABC; the following year, they would move the telecasts to CBS, where they remain to this date...
- Muddy Waters for They Call Me Muddy Waters
- Grammy Awards of 1973Grammy Awards of 1973The 15th Grammy Awards were held on March 3, 1973, and were the first to be broadcast live on CBS, after the first two ceremonies were on ABC. CBS has been the TV home for the Grammy Awards ever since. The awards recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1972...
- Muddy WatersMuddy WatersMcKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
for The London Muddy Waters Session
- Muddy Waters
- Grammy Awards of 1974Grammy Awards of 1974The 16th Grammy Awards were held March 2, 1974, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1973.- Award winners :* Record of the Year...
- Doc WatsonDoc WatsonArthel Lane "Doc" Watson is an American guitar player, songwriter and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music. He has won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's flatpicking skills and knowledge of traditional American music are highly regarded...
for Then and NowThen and Now (Doc Watson album)Then and Now is the title of a recording by Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1973.At the Grammy Awards of 1974, this father and son collaboration won the 1973 Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording....
- Doc Watson
- Grammy Awards of 1975Grammy Awards of 1975The 17th Grammy Awards were presented March 1, 1975, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1974.- Award winners :*Record of the Year...
- Doc WatsonDoc WatsonArthel Lane "Doc" Watson is an American guitar player, songwriter and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music. He has won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's flatpicking skills and knowledge of traditional American music are highly regarded...
& Merle Watson for Two Days in November
- Doc Watson
- Grammy Awards of 1976Grammy Awards of 1976The 18th Grammy Awards were held February 28, 1976, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1975.- Award winners :*Record of the Year...
- Muddy WatersMuddy WatersMcKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
for The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album
- Muddy Waters
- Grammy Awards of 1977Grammy Awards of 1977The 19th Grammy Awards were held on February 19, 1977, and were broadcast live on American television . They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1976.-Award winners:*Record of the Year...
- John HartfordJohn HartfordJohn Cowan Hartford was an American folk, country and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive knowledge of Mississippi River lore...
for Mark TwangMark TwangWriting for Allmusic, critic Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. wrote of the album "The songs, as usual, run from sentimental to strange, from the romantic to the weird.....
- John Hartford
- Grammy Awards of 1978Grammy Awards of 1978The 20th Grammy Awards were held February 23, 1978, and were broadcast live on American television. They were hosted by folk music legend John Denver, and recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1977.- Award winners :*Record of the Year...
- Muddy Waters for Hard Again
- Grammy Awards of 1979Grammy Awards of 1979The 21st Grammy Awards were held in 1979, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1978.- Award winners :*Record of the Year**Phil Ramone & Billy Joel for "Just the Way You Are"...
- Muddy Waters for I'm Ready
1980s
- Grammy Awards of 1980Grammy Awards of 1980The 22nd Grammy Awards were held February 27, 1980, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1979.- Award winners :*Record of the Year...
- Muddy WatersMuddy WatersMcKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
for Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live
- Muddy Waters
- Grammy Awards of 1981Grammy Awards of 1981The 23rd Grammy Awards were held February 25, 1981, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1980.- Award winners :*Record of the Year...
- Norman Dayron (producer) for Rare Blues performed by various artists
- Grammy Awards of 1982Grammy Awards of 1982The 24th Grammy Awards were held February 24, 1982, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1981...
- B. B. KingB. B. KingRiley B. King , known by the stage name B.B. King, is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter.Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No.3 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. According to Edward M...
for There Must Be a Better World SomewhereThere Must Be a Better World SomewhereThere Must Be a Better World Somewhere is a 1981 album by B. B. King. It was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording the following year.-Track listing:# "The Victim" – 6:18# "More, More, More" – 4:39...
- B. B. King
- Grammy Awards of 1983Grammy Awards of 1983The 25th Grammy Awards were held February 23, 1983. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.-Awards:*Record of the Year**Toto for "Rosanna"*Album of the Year**Toto for Toto IV...
- Queen IdaQueen IdaIda Lewis "Queen Ida" Guillory is an Louisiana Creole accordionist. She was the first female accordion player to lead a zydeco band...
for Queen Ida & the Bon Temps Zydeco Band on Tour
- Queen Ida
- Grammy Awards of 1984Grammy Awards of 1984The 26th Grammy Awards were held on February 28, 1984, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1983...
- Clifton ChenierClifton ChenierClifton Chenier , a Creole French-speaking native of Opelousas, Louisiana, was an eminent performer and recording artist of Zydeco, which arose from Cajun and Creole music, with R&B, jazz, and blues influences. He played the accordion and won a Grammy Award in 1983...
for I'm Here performed by Clifton Chenier & His Red Hot Louisiana Band
- Clifton Chenier
- Grammy Awards of 1985Grammy Awards of 1985The 27th Grammy Awards were held February 26, 1985, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1984.- Award winners :*Record of the Year...
- Elizabeth CottonElizabeth CottonElizabeth Cotton may refer to:*Elizabeth Hope, nee Cotton* Elizabeth Cotten, singer...
for Elizabeth Cotten Live!
- Elizabeth Cotton
- Grammy Awards of 1986Grammy Awards of 1986The 28th Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1986. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year, 1985.- Award winners :*Record of the Year**Quincy Jones for "We Are the World" performed by USA for Africa...
- Rockin' SidneyRockin' SidneySidney Simien aka Rockin' Sidney and Count Rockin' Sidney, was an American R&B, zydeco, and soul musician who began recording in the late 1950s and continued performing until his death.-Biography:...
for "My Toot Toot"
- Rockin' Sidney