Best Country Instrumental Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, without vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)
- "Little Monk"
Russ Barenberg
Track from: When At Last
[Compass Records]
- "Mucky The Duck"
The Greencards
Track from: Viridian
[Dualtone Music Group]
- "Throttleneck" ** GRAMMY WINNER ** ** FAN-VOTED WINNER **
Brad Paisley
Track from: 5th Gear
[Arista Nashville]
- "Rawhide!"
Andy Statman
Track from: East Flatbush Blues
[Shefa Records]
- "Fidoodlin'"
The Time Jumpers
Track from: Jumpin' Time
[Crosswind]
Best Country Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)
- "Before He Cheats" ** GRAMMY WINNER ** ** FAN-VOTED WINNER **
Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Track from: Some Hearts
[19 Recordings/Arista Nashville; Publishers: That Little House Music, Mighty Underdog Music/Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing]
- "Give It Away"
Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon & Jamey Johnson, songwriters (George Strait)
Track from: It Just Comes Natural
[MCA Nashville; Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Mr. Bubba Music, Run Slow Music, EMI Blackwood Music]
- "I Need You"
Tony Lane & David Lee, songwriters (Tim McGraw & Faith Hill)
Track from: Let It Go
[Curb Records; Publishers: Careers-BMG Music Publishing/Nervous Worm Music/Famous Music/Ed And Lucille Songs]
- "If You're Reading This"
Tim McGraw, Brad Warren & Brett Warren, songwriters (Tim McGraw)
Track from: Let It Go
[Curb Records; Publishers: Bucky And Clyde Music, Stylesonic Music]
- "Long Trip Alone"
Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley & Steve Bogard, songwriters (Dierks Bentley)
Track from: Long Trip Alone
[Capitol Records Nashville; Publishers: Ensign Music/Rancho Papa Music/Home With The Armadillo Music, Big White Tracks]
Best Country Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- Long Trip Alone ** FAN-VOTED WINNER **
Dierks Bentley
[Capitol Records Nashville]
- These Days ** GRAMMY WINNER **
Vince Gill
[MCA Nashville]
- Let It Go
Tim McGraw
[Curb Records]
- 5th Gear
Brad Paisley
[Arista Nashville]
- It Just Comes Natural
George Strait
[MCA Nashville]
Best Bluegrass Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- Cherryholmes II Black And White
Cherryholmes
[Skaggs Family Records]
- Lefty's Old Guitar
J. D. Crowe & The New South
[Rounder]
- The Bluegrass Diaries ** GRAMMY WINNER ** ** FAN-VOTED WINNER **
Jim Lauderdale
[Yep Roc Records]
- Scenechronized
Seldom Scene
[Sugar Hill]
- Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular
Tony Trischka
[Rounder]
Best Long Form Music Video
(For video album packages consisting of more than one song or track. Award to the Artist and to the Video Director/Producer of at least 51% of the total playing time.)
- Live & Loud At The Fillmore read review
Dierks Bentley
Russell Thomas, video director; James Whetherly, video producer
[Capitol Records Nashville]
- Trapped In The Closet Chapters 13-22
R. Kelly
R. Kelly, Victor Mignatti & Jim Swaffield, video directors; Ann Carli, video producer
[Jive/Zomba]
- The Confessions Tour ** GRAMMY WINNER **
Madonna
Jonas Akerlund, video director; Sara Martin & David May, video producers
[Warner Bros.]
- 10 Days Out - Blues From The Backroads
Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Various Artists
Noble Jones, video director; Kenny Wayne Shepherd, video producer
[Reprise]
- Liberacion - The Songs Of The New Cuban Underground
Various Artists
Reuben Fields, video director; Dean Bates, video producer
[Petrol/EMI]
Other Country-related winners that won in non-country categories included Alison Krauss, whose nomination I totally missed when I created her profile, as it was in the Pop category. She was nominated for and won the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals with Robert Plant for "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On.)"
Ricky Skaggs and The Whites won Best Southern Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album, for Salt of the Earth.
Steve Earle won Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album for his Washington Square Serenade.
Johnny Cash won posthumously Best Short Form Music Video for "God's Gonna Cut You Down"