Grammys 2021: The Country Music Winners

From Best Country Album to Best American Roots Performance, the complete country and Americana rundown

Awards in the Americana and country music categories were handed out during the 63rd Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony on Sunday afternoon with John Prine winning a pair of posthumous Grammys for his song “I Remember Everything.” Written with Pat McLaughlin, “I Remember Everything” was named Best American Roots Songs and Best American Roots Performance. It is the final song that Prine recorded before his death in April from complications related to Covid-19.

“The music community in Nashville and beyond, your love and encouragement has meant the world to us this past year,” Fiona Whelan Prine, the songwriter’s widow, said in a Zoom acceptance speech, flanked by her sons. “Merry Christmas,” offered Tommy Prine, a nod to his father’s yearlong love of the holiday.

Elsewhere, buzzed-about bluegrass picker and singer Billy Strings won his first Grammy — his album Home was named Best Bluegrass Album. “Holy shit. Thank you so much,” an awestruck Strings said in his remarks. “Thank you to the Academy and, last but most of all, all the fans who come to all the shows and see us play.” Strings has been a consistent touring artist, staging socially distanced and virtual concerts, during the ongoing pandemic.

In the country music categories, Dan + Shay won their third career Grammy, taking home Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “10,000 Hours,” the Nashville duo’s collaboration with Justin Bieber. Vince Gill won Best Country Solo Performance for his song for wife Amy Grant, “When My Amy Prays,” while Best Country Song went to the Highwomen’s “Crowded Table.” Brandi Carlile, who cowrote the song with bandmate Natalie Hemby and Lori McKenna, accepted the award. “We just wanted to see women in country music embraced,” Carlile said of the inspiration behind the Highwomen project. “We’re seeing that more and more.”

Miranda Lambert’s album Wildcard won Best Country Album, the only country category included in the CBS broadcast. “We’re such a family in country music. I feel like I’m holding this for all of us, especially us girls,” Lambert said upon accepting her trophy.

Here are the Grammy winners in the country music and Americana/roots-music categories.

Best Country Solo Performance
“Stick That in Your Country Song,” Eric Church
“Who You Thought I Was,” Brandy Clark
“When My Amy Prays,” Vince Gill – WINNER
“Black Like Me,” Mickey Guyton
“Bluebird,” Miranda Lambert

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“All Night,” Brothers Osborne
“10,000 Hours,” Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber – WINNER
“Ocean,” Lady A
“Sugar Coat,” Little Big Town
“Some People Do,” Old Dominion

Best Country Song
“Bluebird,” Miranda Lambert (Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby & Miranda Lambert, songwriters)
“The Bones,” Maren Morris (Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins & Laura Veltz, songwriters)
“Crowded Table,” The Highwomen (Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby & Lori McKenna, songwriters) – WINNER
“More Hearts Than Mine,” Ingrid Andress, (Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis & Derrick Southerland, songwriters)
“Some People Do,” Old Dominion (Jesse Frasure, Shane McAnally, Matthew Ramsey & Thomas Rhett, songwriters)

Best Country Album
Lady Like, Ingrid Andress
Your Life Is a Record, Brandy Clark
Wildcard, Miranda Lambert – WINNER
Nightfall, Little Big Town
Never Will, Ashley McBryde

Best American Roots Performance
“Colors,” Black Pumas
“Deep in Love,” Bonny Light Horseman
“Short and Sweet,” Brittany Howard
“I’ll Be Gone,” Norah Jones & Mavis Staples
“I Remember Everything,” John Prine – WINNER

Best American Roots Song
“Cabin,” The Secret Sisters (Laura Rogers & Lydia Rogers, songwriters)
“Ceiling to the Floor,” Sierra Hull (Sierra Hull & Kai Welch, songwriters)
“Hometown,” Sarah Jarosz (Sarah Jarosz, songwriter)
“I Remember Everything,” John Prine (Pat McLaughlin & John Prine, songwriters) – WINNER
“Man Without a Soul,” Lucinda Williams (Lucinda Williams, songwriter)

Best Americana Album
Old Flowers, Courtney Marie Andrews
Terms of Surrender, Hiss Golden Messenger
World on the Ground, Sarah Jarosz – WINNER
El Dorado, Marcus King
Good Souls Better Angels, Lucinda Williams

Best Bluegrass Album
Man on Fire, Danny Barnes
To Live in Two Worlds, Vol. 1, Thomm Jutz
North Carolina Songbook, Steep Canyon Rangers
Home, Billy Strings – WINNER
The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project, Vol. 1, Various Artists

Best Folk Album
Bonny Light Horseman, Bonny Light Horseman
Thanks for the Dance, Leonard Cohen
Song for Our Daughters, Laura Marling
Saturn Return, The Secret Sisters
All the Good Times, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – WINNER

Best Traditional Blues Album
All My Dues Are Paid, Frank Bey
You Make Me Feel, Don Bryant
That’s What I Heard, Robert Cray Band
Cypress Grove, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes
Rawer Than Raw, Bobby Rush – WINNER

Best Contemporary Blues Album
Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?, Fantastic Negrito – WINNER
Live at the Paramount, Ruthie Foster Big Band
The Juice, G. Love
Blackbirds, Bettye LaVette
Up and Rolling, North Mississippi Allstars

Report courtesy of RollingStone.com