The Grammy Award for Best American Roots Song is an award category at the annual Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the American Roots Music genres such as blues, bluegrass, folk, Americana, and regional roots music. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".
The award was first approved by the board of trustees of the Grammy Awards in Spring 2013.
As with all other songwriting awards at the Grammy's, the award for Best American Roots Song goes to the songwriters of the winning song, not to the artist(s) (except if the artist is also the songwriter).
The award was first presented at the 2014 Grammy Awards ceremony to Edie Brickell and Steve Martin, the songwriters of the awarded song. Jason Isbell is the only person who has won this award more than once, with three wins (as of 2024).
Recipients
2010s Year Song Songwriter(s) Artist(s) 2014 "Love Has Come for You" Edie Brickell and Steve Martin Steve Martin and Edie Brickell "Build Me Up from Bones" Sarah Jarosz Sarah Jarosz "Invisible" Steve Earle Steve Earle and the Dukes (and Duchesses) "Keep Your Dirty Lights On" Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott "Shrimp Po-Boy, Dressed" Allen Toussaint Allen Toussaint 2015List of Nominees 2015 "A Feather's Not a Bird" Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal Rosanne Cash "Just So Much" Jesse Winchester Jesse Winchester "The New York Trains" Woody Guthrie and Del McCoury Del McCoury Band "Pretty Little One" Edie Brickell and Steve Martin Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell "Terms of My Surrender" John Hiatt John Hiatt 2016 "24 Frames" Jason Isbell Jason Isbell "All Night Long" Raul Malo The Mavericks "The Cost of Living" Don Henley and Stan Lynch Don Henley and Merle Haggard "Julep" Chris Eldridge, Paul Kowert, Noam Pikelny, Chris Thile and Gabe Witcher Punch Brothers "The Traveling Kind" Cory Chisel, Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell 2017 "Kid Sister" Vince Gill The Time Jumpers "Alabama at Night" Robbie Fulks Robbie Fulks "City Lights" Jack White The White Stripes "Gulfstream" Eric Adcock and Roddie Romero Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars "Wreck You" Lori McKenna and Felix McTeigue Lori McKenna 2018 "If We Were Vampires" Jason Isbell Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit "Cumberland Gap" David Rawlings and Gillian Welch David Rawlings "I Wish You Well" Raul Malo and Alan Miller The Mavericks "It Ain't Over Yet" Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell featuring Rosanne Cash and John Paul White "My Only True Friend" Gregg Allman and Scott Sharrard Gregg Allman 2019Grammy.com, 7 December 2018 "The Joke" Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil and Tim Hanseroth Brandi Carlile "All the Trouble" Waylon Payne, Lee Ann Womack and Adam Wright Lee Ann Womack "Build a Bridge" Jeff Tweedy Mavis Staples "Knockin' on Your Screen Door" Pat McLaughlin and John Prine John Prine "Summer's End"
2020s Year Song Songwriter(s) Artist(s) 20202020 Grammy Awards nominations list "Call My Name" Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan and Sara Watkins I'm with Her "Black Myself" Amythyst Kiah Our Native Daughters "Crossing to Jerusalem" Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal Rosanne Cash "Faraway Look" Dan Auerbach, Yola and Pat McLaughlin Yola "I Don't Wanna Ride the Rails No More" Vince Gill Vince Gill 20212021 Nominations List "I Remember Everything" Pat McLaughlin and John Prine John Prine (posthumous) "Cabin" Laura Rogers and Lydia Rogers The Secret Sisters "Ceiling to the Floor" Sierra Hull and Kai Welch Sierra Hull "Hometown" Sarah Jarosz Sarah Jarosz "Man Without a Soul" Tom Overby and Lucinda Williams Lucinda Williams 2022 "Cry" Jon Batiste and Steve McEwan Jon Batiste "Avalon" Rhiannon Giddens, Justin Robinson and Francesco Turrisi Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi "Bored" Linda Chorney Linda Chorney featuring Becca Byram, EJ Ouellette and Trevor Sewell "Call Me a Fool" Valerie June Valerie June featuring Carla Thomas "Diamond Studded Shoes" Dan Auerbach, Natalie Hemby, Aaron Lee Tasjan and Yola Yola "Nightflyer" Jeremy Lindsay and Allison Russell Allison Russell 2023 "Just Like That" Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Raitt "Bright Star" Anaïs Mitchell Anaïs Mitchell "Forever" Sheryl Crow and Jeff Trott Sheryl Crow "High and Lonesome" Robert Plant and T Bone Burnett Robert Plant and Alison Krauss "Prodigal Daughter" Tim O'Brien and Aoife O'Donovan Aoife O'Donovan and Allison Russell "You and Me on the Rock" Brandi Carlile, Phil and Tim Hanseroth Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius 2024 "Cast Iron Skillet" Jason Isbell Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit "Blank Page" Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter The War and Treaty "California Sober" Aaron Allen, William Apostol and Jon Weisberger Billy Strings featuring Willie Nelson "Dear Insecurity" Brandy Clark and Michael Pollack Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile "The Returner" Drew Lindsay, JT Nero and Allison Russell Allison Russell 2025 "American Dreaming" Sierra Ferrell and Melody Walker Sierra Ferrell "Ahead of the Game" Mark Knopfler Mark Knopfler "All in Good Time" Sam Beam Iron & Wine featuring Fiona Apple "All My Friends" Aoife O'Donovan Aoife O'Donovan "Blame It on Eve" John Hahn and Will Kimbrough Shemekia Copeland 2026 "Ancient Light" Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan and Sara Watkins I'm with Her "Big Money" Jon Batiste, Mike Elizondo and Steve McEwan Jon Batiste "Foxes in the Snow" Jason Isbell Jason Isbell "Middle" Jesse Welles Jesse Welles "Spitfire" Sierra Hull Sierra Hull
Songwriters with multiple wins 3 wins Jason Isbell
Songwriters with multiple nominations
4 nominations Jason Isbell Sarah Jarosz Pat McLaughlin Aoife O'Donovan
3 nominations John Prine
2 nominations Dan Auerbach Jon Batiste Edie Brickell Brandi Carlile Rosanne Cash Rodney Crowell Vince Gill Phil and Tim Hanseroth Sierra Hull John Leventhal Raul Malo Steve Martin Steve McEwan Tim O'Brien Allison Russell Sara Watkins Yola
See also List of Grammy Award categories
References