Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album

The Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 as the Gramophone Awards,^[1] to recording artists for releasing albums in the regionally based traditional American music, including Hawaiian, Native American, polka, zydeco and Cajun music genres. 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".^[2]

Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Album
Awarded for	quality vocal or instrumental regional forms of american roots music albums
Country	United States
Presented by	National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First award	2012
Currently held by	Kalani Pe'a - Kuini (2025)
Website	grammy.com

The category was introduced in 2012 in which the previous Best Hawaiian Music Album, Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album and Best Native American Music Album categories were combined. The change was the result of a major overhaul of Grammy categories, announced in April 2011.^[3] The new category also recognizes other American roots forms, such as polka, whose own Grammy category was discontinued in 2009. In 2021, the category added the inclusion of Go-go music, and in 2024 it was announced that conjunto would be recognized under the category starting in 2025.^[4] It was moved from the Grammy Award for Best Música Mexicana Album (including Tejano) category, as it is regarded as an American Roots genre rather than a Mexican music genre.

Hawaiian musician Kalani Pe'a holds the record for most wins in the category with four.

Recipients

2014 winners Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience.

2015 winner Jo-El Sonnier.

Four-time winner Kalani Pe'a.

2018 winner The Lost Bayou Ramblers.

Year[I]	Performing artist(s)	Work	Nominees	Ref.
2012	Rebirth Brass Band	Rebirth of New Orleans	C.J. Chenier — Can't Sit Down George Kahumoku Jr. — Wao Akua — The Forest of the Gods Steve Riley and The Mamou Playboys — Grand Isle Jimmy Sturr & his Orchestra — Not Just Another Polka	[5]
2013	Wayne Toups, Steve Riley & Wilson Savoy	The Band Courtbouillon	Keola Beamer — Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love) Radmilla Cody — Shi Kéyah — Songs for the People Weldon Kekauoha — Pilialoha Corey Ledet, Anthony Dopsie, Dwayne Dopsie & Andre Thierry — Nothin' But the Best	[6]
2014	Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience	Dockside Sessions	Hot 8 Brass Band — The Life & Times of...The Hot 8 Brass Band Kahulanui — Hula Ku'i Zachary Richard — Le Fou Joe Tohonnie Jr. — Apache Blessing & Crown Dance Songs	[7]
2015	Jo-El Sonnier	The Legacy	Bonsoir Catin — Light the Stars Kamaka Kukona — Hanu 'A'ala Magnolia Sisters — Love's Lies Joe Tohonnie Jr. — Ceremony	[8]
2016	Jon Cleary	Go Go Juice	Natalie Ai Kamauu — La La La La Keali'i Reichel — Kawaiokalena The Revelers — Get Ready Windwalker & The MCW — Generations	[9]
2017	Kalani Pe'a	E Walea	Barry Jean Ancelet & Sam Broussard — Broken Promised Land Northern Cree — It's a Cree Thing Roddie Romero & The Hub City All-Stars — Gulfstream Various Artists (Joshua Caffery & Joel Savoy, producers) — I Wanna Sing Right: Rediscovering Lomax in the Evangeline Country	[10]
2018	The Lost Bayou Ramblers	Kalenda	Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers — Top of the Mountain Hoʻokena — Hoʻokena 3.0 Northern Cree — Miyo Kekisepa, Make a Stand [Live] Josh Tatofi — Pua Kiele	[11]
2019	Kalani Pe'a	No 'Ane'i	Sean Ardoin — Kreole Rock and Soul Cha Wa — Spyboy Na Hoa — Aloha From Na Hoa Young Spirit — Mewasinsational - Cree Round Dance Songs	[12]
2020	Ranky Tanky	Good Time	Amy Hānaiali’i - Kalawai’anui Northern Cree - When It's Cold - Cree Round Dance Songs Rebirth Brass Band - Recorded Live at the 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Various Artists, Imua Garza & Kimié Miner (producers) - Hawaiian Lullaby	[13]
2021	New Orleans Nightcrawlers	Atmosphere	Black Lodge Singers - My Relatives "Nikso Kowaiks" Cameron Dupuy & the Cajun Troubadours - Cameron Dupuy & the Cajun Troubadours Nā Wai ʽEhā - Lovely Sunrise Sweet Cecilia - A Tribute to Al Berard	[14]
2022	Kalani Pe'a	Kau Ka Pe'a	Sean Ardoin & Kreole Rock and Soul - Live in New Orleans! Big Chief Monk Boudreaux - Bloodstains & Teardrops Cha Wa - My People Corey Ledet Zydeco - Corey Ledet Zydeco	[15]
2023	Ranky Tanky	Live at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival	Sean Ardoin & Kreole Rock and Soul featuring LSU Golden Band from Tigerland - Full Circle Natalie Ai Kamauu - Natalie Noelani Halau Hula Keali'i O Nalani - Halau Hula Keali'i O Nalani - Live at the Getty Center Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas - Lucky Man	[16]
2024	Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band and Lost Bayou Ramblers & Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (TIE)	New Beginnings and Live: Orpheum Theater Nola (TIE)	Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers - Live at the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival New Breed Brass Band - Made in New Orleans New Orleans Nightcrawlers - Too Much to Hold The Rumble ft. Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. - Live at the Maple Leaf	[17]
2025	Kalani Pe'a	Kuini	Sean Ardoin and Kreole Rock And Soul – 25 Back to My Roots Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & The Golden Eagles featuring J'Wan Boudreaux – Live at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival New Breed Brass Band featuring Trombone Shorty – Live at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. – Stories from The Battlefield	[18]

^{^[I]} Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.