The following list shows the recipients for the Country Music Association Award for Female Vocalist of the Year. The award is based on individual musical performance on a solo country single or album release, as well as the artist's overall contribution to country music during the eligibility period.
The inaugural recipient of the award was Loretta Lynn in 1967. Miranda Lambert holds the record for most wins in the category, with seven, while she and four-time recipient Reba McEntire share a leading eighteen nominations. Anne Murray holds the record for most nominations without a win, with six. The current holder of the award is Lainey Wilson, who won at the 56th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2022.
Recipients
YearWinnerNominees2026 TBA Miranda Lambert Ella Langley Megan Moroney Kacey Musgraves Lainey Wilson2025 Lainey Wilson Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Ella Langley Megan Moroney2024 Lainey Wilson Kelsea Ballerini Ashley McBryde Megan Moroney Kacey Musgraves2023 Lainey Wilson Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Ashley McBryde Carly Pearce2022 Lainey Wilson Miranda Lambert Ashley McBryde Carly Pearce Carrie Underwood2021 Carly Pearce Gabby Barrett Miranda Lambert Ashley McBryde Maren Morris2020 Maren Morris Miranda Lambert Ashley McBryde Kacey Musgraves Carrie Underwood2019 Kacey MusgravesKelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Maren Morris Carrie Underwood2018 Carrie UnderwoodKelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Maren Morris Kacey Musgraves2017 Miranda LambertKelsea Ballerini Reba McEntire Maren Morris Carrie Underwood2016 Carrie Underwood Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Maren Morris Kacey Musgraves2015 Miranda Lambert Kelsea Ballerini Kacey Musgraves Carrie Underwood Lee Ann Womack2014 Miranda Lambert Martina McBride Kacey Musgraves Taylor Swift Carrie Underwood2013 Miranda Lambert Kelly Clarkson Kacey Musgraves Taylor Swift Carrie Underwood2012 Miranda Lambert Kelly Clarkson Martina McBride Taylor Swift Carrie Underwood2011 Miranda Lambert Sara Evans Martina McBride Taylor Swift Carrie Underwood2010 Miranda Lambert Martina McBride Reba McEntire Taylor Swift Carrie Underwood2009 Taylor Swift Miranda Lambert Martina McBride Reba McEntire Carrie Underwood2008 Carrie Underwood Alison Krauss Miranda Lambert Martina McBride Taylor Swift2007 Carrie Underwood Alison Krauss Miranda Lambert Martina McBride Reba McEntire2006 Carrie Underwood Sara Evans Faith Hill Martina McBride Gretchen Wilson2005 Gretchen Wilson Sara Evans Alison Krauss Martina McBride Lee Ann Womack2004 Martina McBride Terri Clark Sara Evans Alison Krauss Reba McEntire2003 Martina McBride Terri Clark Alison Krauss Patty Loveless Dolly Parton2002 Martina McBride Sara Evans Alison Krauss Lee Ann Womack Trisha Yearwood2001 Lee Ann Womack Sara Evans Faith Hill Martina McBride Trisha Yearwood2000 Faith Hill Martina McBride Jo Dee Messina Lee Ann Womack Trisha Yearwood1999 Martina McBride Faith Hill Jo Dee Messina Shania Twain Trisha Yearwood1998 Trisha Yearwood Faith Hill Patty Loveless Martina McBride Lee Ann Womack1997 Trisha Yearwood Deana Carter Patty Loveless LeAnn Rimes Pam Tillis1996 Patty Loveless Faith Hill Martina McBride Pam Tillis Shania Twain1995 Alison Krauss Mary Chapin Carpenter Patty Loveless Reba McEntire Pam Tillis1994 Pam Tillis Mary Chapin Carpenter Reba McEntire Wynonna Judd Trisha Yearwood1993 Mary Chapin Carpenter Reba McEntire Pam Tillis Tanya Tucker Wynonna Judd1992 Mary Chapin Carpenter Reba McEntire Tanya Tucker Wynonna Judd Trisha Yearwood1991 Tanya Tucker Patty Loveless Kathy Mattea Reba McEntire Lorrie Morgan1990 Kathy Mattea Patty Loveless Reba McEntire Lorrie Morgan Tanya Tucker1989 Kathy Mattea Rosanne Cash Patty Loveless Reba McEntire Tanya Tucker1988 K.T. Oslin Rosanne Cash Kathy Mattea Reba McEntire Tanya Tucker1987 Reba McEntire Rosanne Cash Emmylou Harris Kathy Mattea Dolly Parton1986 Reba McEntire Rosanne Cash Janie Fricke Emmylou Harris Anne Murray1985 Reba McEntire Rosanne Cash Janie Fricke Emmylou Harris Anne Murray1984 Reba McEntire Janie Fricke Emmylou Harris Barbara Mandrell Anne Murray1983 Janie Fricke Lacy J. Dalton Emmylou Harris Barbara Mandrell Reba McEntire1982 Janie Fricke Rosanne Cash Emmylou Harris Barbara Mandrell Juice Newton1981 Barbara Mandrell Terri Gibbs Emmylou Harris Loretta Lynn Anne Murray1980 Emmylou Harris Crystal Gayle Loretta Lynn Barbara Mandrell Anne Murray1979 Barbara Mandrell Janie Fricke Crystal Gayle Emmylou Harris Anne Murray1978 Crystal Gayle Janie Fricke Emmylou Harris Barbara Mandrell Dolly Parton1977 Crystal Gayle Emmylou Harris Loretta Lynn Barbara Mandrell Dolly Parton1976 Dolly Parton Crystal Gayle Emmylou Harris Barbara Mandrell Tammy Wynette1975 Dolly Parton Jessi Colter Loretta Lynn Linda Ronstadt Tanya Tucker1974 Olivia Newton-John Loretta Lynn Anne Murray Dolly Parton Tanya Tucker1973 Loretta Lynn Donna Fargo Jeanne Pruett Tanya Tucker Tammy Wynette1972 Loretta Lynn Donna Fargo Dolly Parton Connie Smith Tammy Wynette1971 Lynn Anderson Loretta Lynn Dolly Parton Sammi Smith Tammy Wynette1970 Tammy Wynette Lynn Anderson Loretta Lynn Dolly Parton Connie Smith1969 Tammy Wynette Lynn Anderson Loretta Lynn Dolly Parton Jeannie C. Riley1968 Tammy Wynette Lynn Anderson Loretta Lynn Dolly Parton Jeannie C. Riley1967 Loretta Lynn Lynn Anderson Connie Smith Dottie West Tammy Wynette
Artists with multiple wins + Artists that received multiple awardsAwardsArtist7Miranda Lambert5Carrie Underwood4Martina McBrideReba McEntireLainey Wilson 3Loretta LynnTammy Wynette2Barbara MandrellCrystal GayleDolly PartonJanie FrickieKathy MatteaMary Chapin CarpenterTrisha Yearwood
Won on First nomination
In CMA history only nine women have won Female Vocalist of the Year the very first time they were nominated. They are:
Loretta Lynn (1967) Olivia Newton-John (1974) K.T. Oslin (1988) Mary Chapin Carpenter (1992) Alison Krauss (1995) Gretchen Wilson (2005) Carrie Underwood (2006) Carly Pearce (2021) Lainey Wilson (2022)
Artists with multiple nominations 19 nominations Miranda Lambert
18 nominations Reba McEntire
17 nominations Martina McBride
16 nominations Carrie Underwood
12 nominations
Dolly Parton Emmylou Harris Loretta Lynn
9 nominations
Barbara Mandrell Tanya Tucker Kacey Musgraves Kelsea Ballerini
8 nominations
Patty Loveless Tammy Wynette Trisha Yearwood
7 nominations
Alison Krauss Anne Murray Janie Frickie Taylor Swift
6 nominations
Faith Hill Lee Ann Womack Maren Morris Rosanne Cash Sara Evans
5 nominations
Ashley McBryde Crystal Gayle Kathy Mattea Lainey Wilson Lynn Anderson Pam Tillis
4 nominations Mary Chapin Carpenter
3 nominations
Carly Pearce Connie Smith Wynonna Judd Megan Moroney
2 nominations
Donna Fargo Gretchen Wilson Jeannie C. Riley Jo Dee Messina Kelly Clarkson Terri Clark Lorrie Morgan Shania Twain Ella Langley
References
See also Country Music Association Awards