# Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance

The Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance was awarded from 1970 to 1990 and in 1993. The award had several minor name changes:
* From 1970 to 1985 the award was known as Best R&B Instrumental Performance
* From 1986 to 1989 it was awarded as Best R&B Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist)
* In 1990 and 1993 it was awarded as Best R&B Instrumental Performance
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

## Recipients

| Year | Winner(s) | Title | Nominees | Ref. |
| 1970 | King Curtis | "Games People Play" | Ike Turner for "A Black Man's Soul" Albert Collins for "Trash Talkin'" Junior Walker & The All-Stars for "What Does It Take" Richard Groove Holmes for "Workin' On a Groovy Thing" | |
| 1971 | No Award Given | No Award Given | No Award Given | No Award Given |
| 1972 | No Award Given | No Award Given | No Award Given | No Award Given |
| 1973 | Paul Riser & The Temptations | "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone (Instrumental)" | The Crusaders for "Crusaders I" King Curtis for "Everybody's Talkin'" Curtis Mayfield for "Junkie Chase" Isaac Hayes for "Let's Stay Together" | |
| 1974 | Ramsey Lewis | "Hang On Sloopy" | The Crusaders for "2nd Crusade" Donald Byrd for "Black Byrd" Manu Dibango for "Soul Makossa" Young-Holt Unlimited for "Yes We Can Can" | |
| 1975 | MFSB | "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" | Kool & the Gang for "Light of Worlds" Average White Band for "Pick Up the Pieces" The Crusaders for "Scratch" Billy Preston for "Struttin'" | |
| 1976 | Silver Convention | "Fly, Robin, Fly" | Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony for "Disco Baby" B. T. Express for "Express" Herbie Hancock for "Hang Up Your Hangups" Brecker Brothers for "Sneakin' Up Behind You" | |
| 1977 | George Benson | "Theme From Good King Bad" | Marvin Gaye for "After the Dance" Brass Construction for "Brass Construction" Herbie Hancock for "Doin' It" Stanley Turrentine for "Hope That We Can Be Together Soon" The Crusaders for "Keep That Same Old Feeling" | |
| 1978 | The Brothers Johnson | "Q" | Brecker Brothers for "Funky Sea, Funky Dew" Salsoul Orchestra for "Getaway" Stuff for "More Stuff" Blackbyrds for "The Unfinished Business" | |
| 1979 | Earth, Wind & Fire | "Runnin'" | The Crusaders for "Images" Stanley Clarke for "Modern Man" Brothers Johnson for "Streetwave" Average White Band for "Sweet and Sour" | |
| 1980 | Earth, Wind & Fire | "Boogie Wonderland" | Hubert Laws for "Land of Passion" Herbie Hancock for "Ready or Not" Harvey Mason for "Wave" Junior Walker for "Wishing On a Star" | |
| 1981 | George Benson | "Off Broadway" | David Sanborn for "Anything You Want" Deodato for "Night Cruiser" Brothers Johnson for "Smilin' on Ya" B.B. King for "When I'm Wrong" | |
| 1982 | David Sanborn | "All I Need Is You" | Noel Pointer for "East St. Louis Melody" Wilton Felder for "Inherit the Wind" Hiroshima for "Winds of Change (Henka Non Nagare)" Ahmad Jamal for "You're Welcome, Stop On By" | |
| 1983 | Marvin Gaye | "Sexual Healing (Instrumental Version)" | Eddie Murphy for "Boogie in Your Butt" Grover Washington Jr. for "Come Morning" Patrice Rushen for "Number One" Spyro Gyra for "Stripes" | |
| 1984 | Herbie Hancock | "Rockit" | Quincy Jones, Jerry Hey for "Billie Jean" Kashif for "The Mood" James Brown for "Today" The Gap Band for "Where Are We Going?" | |
| 1985 | Herbie Hancock | "Sound-System" | The Crusaders for "Ghetto Blaster" Grover Washington Jr. for "Inside Moves" Sheila E. for "Shortberry Strawcake" Stanley Clarke for "Time Exposure" | |
| 1986 | Ernie Watts | "Musician" | Sly & Robbie for "Bass and Trouble" Barney Rachabane for "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" Five Star for "First Avenue" Dave Valentin for "Love Light in Flight" Jeff Lorber for "Pacific Coast Highway" Paul Hardcastle for "Rain Forest" | |
| 1987 | Yellowjackets | "And You Know That" | Kenny G for Duotones Kashif for "Movie Song" Stanley Clarke for "The Boys of Johnson Street" Billy Cobham for "Zanzibar Breeze" | |
| 1988 | David Sanborn | "Chicago Song" | Stanley Turrentine for "Boogie on Reggae Woman" Herb Alpert for "Diamonds" Jonathan Butler for "Going Home" Najee for Najee's Theme | |
| 1989 | Chick Corea | "Light Years" | Cornell Dupree & Who It Is for Coast to Coast Paul Jackson Jr. for I Came to Play George Howard for Reflections Gerald Albright for "So Amazing" Doc Powell for "What's Going On" | |
| 1990 | Soul II Soul | "African Dance" | Gerald Albright for Bermuda Nights Omar Hakim for "Constructive Criticism" Stix Hooper for "I Can't Get Enough of Your Love" Babyface for "It's No Crime" | |
| 1991 | No Award Given | No Award Given | No Award Given | No Award Given |
| 1992 | No Award Given | No Award Given | No Award Given | No Award Given |
| 1993 | Miles Davis | "Doo-Bop" | The Brecker Brothers for "Big Idea" George Howard for "Just the Way I Feel" Soul II Soul for "Mood" Grover Washington Jr. for "Summer Chill" | |