# Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance

The Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance is an accolade presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally named the Gramophone Awards, to performers of quality traditional R&B vocal performances. The award was first given in 1999; until 2003, only albums were nominated, now just singles or tracks are. 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." As of the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, the eligibility criteria for the category was amended to "more accurately represent recordings that embody the classical elements of R&B/soul music, distinguishing them from contemporary interpretations of the genre".
Between 1999 and 2002, this accolade was originally known as Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album. It was renamed in 2003 as Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Since 2012, the category has been known as Best Traditional R&B Performance.
The award goes to the artist. The producer, engineer and songwriter can apply for a Winners Certificate.
Lalah Hathaway and Beyoncé have the most wins (3) in this category. Hathaway and Anthony Hamilton have the most nominations (5) in this category. At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, two-year-old Hazel Monét became the youngest ever Grammy nominee for her feature on her mother's song, "Hollywood".

## Recipients

| Year | Recipient(s) | Work | Nominees |
| 1999 | Patti LaBelle | Live! One Night Only | Regina Belle – Believe in Me Aaron Neville – To Make Me Who I Am The Temptations – Phoenix Rising Luther Vandross – I Know |
| 2000 | Barry White | Staying Power | Peabo Bryson – Unconditional Love The Neville Brothers – Valence Street Wilson Pickett – It's Harder Now Smokey Robinson – Intimate |
| 2001 | The Temptations | Ear-Resistible | Will Downing – All the Man You Need George Duke – Cool Jeffrey Osborne – That's For Sure Johnnie Taylor – Gotta Get the Groove Back |
| 2002 | Gladys Knight | At Last | Regina Belle – This Is Regina! Lamont Dozier – An American Original Miki Howard – Three Wishes The O'Jays – For the Love... |
| 2003 | Chaka Khan and the Funk Brothers | "What's Going On" | Ann Nesby and Al Green – "Put It on Paper" Remy Shand – "Rocksteady" The Temptations – "Lady" Luther Vandross – "Any Day Now" |
| 2004 | Aretha Franklin | "Wonderful" | Earth, Wind & Fire – "Hold Me" Anthony Hamilton – "Comin' from Where I'm From" Patti LaBelle – "Way Up There" Kelly Price – "He Proposed" |
| 2005 | Prince | "Musicology" | Anita Baker – "You're My Everything" Ray Charles and B.B. King – "Sinner's Prayer" Al Green – "I Can't Stop" Patti LaBelle – "New Day" |
| 2006 | Aretha Franklin | "A House Is Not a Home" | Mariah Carey – "Mine Again" Fantasia Barrino – "Summertime" Alicia Keys – "If I Was Your Woman" John Legend – "Stay With You |
| 2007 | George Benson and Al Jarreau featuring Jill Scott | "God Bless the Child" | Anita Baker – "Christmas Time Is Here" Mary J. Blige and Raphael Saadiq – "I Found My Everything" Sam Moore, Billy Preston, Zucchero, Eric Clapton and Robert Randolph – "You Are So Beautiful" The Temptations – "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" |
| 2008 | Gerald Levert | "In My Songs" | Otis Clay – "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" Randy Crawford and Joe Sample – "All Night Long" Ann Nesby – "I Apologize" Ryan Shaw – "I Am Your Man" |
| 2009 | Al Green featuring Anthony Hamilton | "You've Got the Love I Need" | Wayne Brady – "A Change Is Gonna Come" Linda Jones, Helen Bruner and Terry Jones – "Baby I Know" Raphael Saadiq – "Love That Girl" Jazmine Sullivan – "In Love With Another Man" |
| 2010 | Beyoncé | "At Last" | Anthony Hamilton – "Soul Music" Boney James and Quinn – "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" Ann Nesby – "Sow Love" Calvin Richardson – "Woman Gotta Have It" |
| 2011 | John Legend and the Roots | "Hang on in There" | R. Kelly – "When a Woman Loves" Calvin Richardson – "You're So Amazing" Ryan Shaw – "In Between" Betty Wright – "Go [Live]" |
| 2012 | CeeLo Green featuring Melanie Fiona | "Fool for You" | Eric Benet – "Sometimes I Cry" R. Kelly – "Radio Message" Raphael Saadiq – "Good Man" Betty Wright and The Roots – "Surrender" |
| 2013 | Beyoncé | "Love On Top" | Anita Baker – "Lately" Melanie Fiona – "Wrong Side of a Love Song" Gregory Porter – "Real Good Hands" SWV – "If Only You Knew" |
| 2014 | Gary Clark Jr. | "Please Come Home" | Fantasia – "Get It Right" Maysa – "Quiet Fire" Gregory Porter – "Hey Laura" Ryan Shaw – "Yesterday" |
| 2015 | Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Lalah Hathaway and Malcolm-Jamal Warner | "Jesus Children" | Marsha Ambrosius & Anthony Hamilton – "As" Angie Fisher – "IRS" Kem – "Nobody" Antonique Smith – "Hold Up Wait A Minute (Woo Woo)" |
| 2016 | Lalah Hathaway | "Little Ghetto Boy" | Faith Evans – "He Is" Jazmine Sullivan – "Let It Burn" Tyrese – "Shame" Charlie Wilson – "My Favorite Part of You" |
| 2017 | Lalah Hathaway | "Angel" | William Bell – "The Three of Me" BJ the Chicago Kid – "Woman's World" Fantasia – "Sleeping with the One I Love" Jill Scott – "Can't Wait" |
| 2018 | Childish Gambino | "Redbone" | The Baylor Project – "Laugh and Move On" Anthony Hamilton featuring The Hamiltones – "What I'm Feelin'" Ledisi – "All the Way" Mali Music – "Still" |
| 2019 | Leon Bridges | "Bet Ain't Worth the Hand" | Bettye LaVette – "Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight" Major – "Honest" Charlie Wilson featuring Lalah Hathaway – "Made for Love" |
| 2019 | PJ Morton featuring Yebba | "How Deep Is Your Love" | Bettye LaVette – "Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight" Major – "Honest" Charlie Wilson featuring Lalah Hathaway – "Made for Love" |
| 2020 | Lizzo | "Jerome" | BJ the Chicago Kid – "Time Today" India.Arie – "Steady Love" Lucky Daye – "Real Games" PJ Morton featuring Jazmine Sullivan – "Built for Love" |
| 2021 | Ledisi | "Anything for You" | The Baylor Project – "Sit On Down" Chloe x Halle – "Wonder What She Thinks of Me" Mykal Kilgore – "Let Me Go" Yebba – "Distance" |
| 2022 | H.E.R. | "Fight for You" | Jon Batiste – "I Need You" BJ The Chicago Kid, PJ Morton & Kenyon Dixon featuring Charlie Bereal – "Bring It On Home to Me" Leon Bridges featuring Robert Glasper – "Born Again" Lucky Daye featuring Yebba – "How Much Can a Heart Take" |
| 2023 | Beyoncé | "Plastic Off the Sofa" | Snoh Aalegra – "Do 4 Love" Babyface featuring Ella Mai – "Keeps on Fallin'" Adam Blackstone featuring Jazmine Sullivan – "'Round Midnight" Mary J. Blige – "Good Morning Gorgeous" |
| 2024 | PJ Morton featuring Susan Carol | "Good Morning" | Babyface featuring Coco Jones – "Simple" Kenyon Dixon – "Lucky" Victoria Monét featuring Earth, Wind & Fire and Hazel Monét – "Hollywood" SZA – "Love Language" |
| 2025 | Lucky Daye | "That's You" | Marsha Ambrosius – "Wet" Kenyon Dixon – "Can I Have This Groove" Lalah Hathaway featuring Michael McDonald – "No Lie" Muni Long – "Make Me Forget" |
Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.