Grammy Award for Best Inspirational Performance
# Grammy Award for Best Inspirational Performance

The Grammy Award for Best Inspirational Performance was awarded from 1962 to 1986. During this time the award had several name changes:

* Best Gospel or Other Religious Recording (1962, 1963)
* Best Gospel or Other Religious Recording (Musical) (1964–66)
* Best Sacred Performance (Musical) (1967)
* Best Sacred Performance (1968, 1969)
* Best Sacred Performance (Non-Classical) (1970)
* Best Sacred Performance (Musical) (1971)
* Best Sacred Performance (1972)
* Best Inspirational Performance (1973, 1974)
* Best Inspirational Performance (Non-Classical) (1975)
* Best Inspirational Performance (1976–86)

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

## Recipients

| Year | Winner(s) | Title | Nominees |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1962 | Mahalia Jackson | Everytime I Feel the Spirit | Alex Bradford for Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross Staple Singers for Swing Low Tennessee Ernie Ford for Hymns at Home' Tex Ritter for Lincoln Hymns |
| 1963 | Mahalia Jackson | Great Songs of Love and Faith | Alex Bradford for Black Nativity Clefs of Calvary for Same Me Franz Rupp for Marian Anderson' Ralph Carmichael for Hymns at Sunset Tennessee Ernie Ford for I Love to Tell the Story |
| 1964 | Soeur Sourire | Dominique | Bessie Griffin and the Gospel Pearls for Recorded Live! Charles Magnuson for Piano in Concert George Beverly Shea for The Earth Is the Lord's (and the Fullness Thereof) Kings of Harmony for Steppin' Right In Limelighters for Makin' a Joyful Noise |
| 1965 | Tennessee Ernie Ford | Great Gospel Songs | Dominican Nuns of Fichermont for Gregorian Chant Fred Waring for This I Believe George Beverly Shea for George Beverly Shea Sings Hymns of Sunrise and Sunset Jo Stafford for Sweet Hour of Prayer Roger Williams for Family Album of Hymns |
| 1966 | George Beverly Shea & Anita Kerr Quartet | Southland Favorites | Blackwood Brothers for Something Old, Something New Happy Goodman Family for What a Happy Time Kate Smith for How Great Thou Art Marian Anderson for Just Keep on Singing Ralph Carmichael Singers & Orchestra for Bob Ashton's Songs of Living Faith |
| 1967 | Porter Wagoner & Blackwood Brothers | Grand Old Gospel | Blackwood Brothers for How Big Is God Connie Smith for Connie Smith Sings Great Sacred Songs George Beverly Shea for Southland Songs That Lift the Heart Happy Goodman Family for Bigger 'n' Better Oak Ridge Boys for The Oak Ridge Boys at Their Best |
| 1968 | Elvis Presley | How Great Thou Art | Dottie West for Dottie West Sings the Sacred Ballads Red Foley for Songs for the Soul George Beverly Shea, Blackwood Brothers for Surely Goodness and Mercy The Browns for The Old Country Church |
| 1969 | Jake Hess | Beautiful Isle of Somewhere | Ralph Carmichael for 102 Strings, Vol. 2 Anita Bryant for How Great Thou Art Jim Bohi for I'll Fly Away George Beverly Shea for Whispering Hope Elvis Presley for You'll Never Walk Alone |
| 1970 | Jake Hess | Ain't That Beautiful Singing | Bill Gaither Trio for He Touched Me Tennessee Ernie Ford for Holy, Holy, Holy George Beverly Shea for I Believe' Connie Smith, Nat Stuckey for Whispering Hope |
| 1971 | Jake Hess | Everything Is Beautiful | Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Richard Condie (conductor) for God of Our Fathers Pat Boone for Rapture Ralph Carmichael Orhcestra and Chorus for The Centurion' George Beverly Shea for There Is More to Life |
| 1972 | Charley Pride | Did You Think to Pray | Anita Bryant for Abide With Me George Beverly Shea for Amazing Grace Dolly Parton for Golden Streets of Glory' Pat Boone Family for Pat Boone Family |
| 1973 | Elvis Presley | He Touched Me | Pipes & Drums & Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards for Amazing Grace Little Jimmy Dempsey for Award Winning Guitar Merle Haggard for Land of Many Churches' Ray Stevens for Love Lifted Me Danny Lee & the Children of Truth for Spread a Little Love Around Eugene Ormandy (conductor), Philadelphia Orchestra & Chorus for The Greatest Hits of Christmas |
| 1974 | Bill Gaither Trio | Let's Just Praise the Lord | Connie Smith for All the Praises' Anita Bryant for Anita Bryant... Naturally Roy Rogers & Dale Evans for In the Sweet By and By George Beverly Shea for There's Something About That Name |
| 1975 | Elvis Presley | How Great Thou Art | Bill Pursell for Listen' Tennessee Ernie Ford for Make a Joyful Noise Bill Gaither Trio for Thanks for Sunshine Sister Janet Mead for The Lord's Prayer |
| 1976 | Bill Gaither Trio | Jesus, We Just Want to Thank You | Larry Hart for Amazing Grace' Anita Kerr for Gentle as Morning The Speers for Something Good Is About to Happen Ray Price for This Time Lord |
| 1977 | Gary S. Paxton | The Astonishing, Outrageous, Amazing, Incredible, Unbelievable, Different World of Gary S. Paxton | Willie Nelson for Amazing Grace' Stevie Wonder for Have a Talk With God Sonny James for Just a Closer Walk With Thee Ray Price for Precious Memories Charlie Rich for Silver Linings Pat Boone for Something Super Natural Charley Pride for Sunday Morning with Charley Pride |
| 1978 | B.J. Thomas | Home Where I Belong | Ray Price for How Great Thou Art' Quincy Jones, James Cleveland, Wattsline Choir for O Lord, Come By Here Carol Lawrence for Tell All the World About Love Various Artists for Your Arm's Too Short to Box With God |
| 1979 | B.J. Thomas | Happy Man | Billy Preston for Behold' The Boones for First Class Larry Hart for Goin' Up In Smoke Tennessee Ernie Ford for He Touched Me Anita Kerr for Precious Memories |
| 1980 | B.J. Thomas | You Gave Me Love (When Nobody Gave Me a Prayer) | Mike Douglas for I'll Sing This Song for You Pat Boone for Just the Way I Am Noel Paul Stookey for Band and Bodyworks Willie Nelson, Leon Russell for I Saw the Light |
| 1981 | Debby Boone | With My Song | B.J. Thomas for Everything Always Works Out for the Best Willie Nelson for Family Bible Commodores for Jesus Is Love Bob Dylan for Saved |
| 1982 | B.J. Thomas | Amazing Grace | Donna Summer for I Believe In Jesus Crusaders with Joe Cocker for I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today Barbara Mandrell for In My Heart Don Williams for Miracles Bob Dylan for Shot of Love |
| 1983 | Barbara Mandrell | He Set My Life to Music | Kansas for Crossfire Leontyne Price for God Bless America B.J. Thomas for Miracle Oak Ridge Boys for Would They Love Him Down in Shreveport |
| 1984 | Donna Summer | "He's a Rebel" from the album She Works Hard for the Money | Cristy Lane for I've Come Back (To Say I Love You One More Time) Leontyne Price for Noel! Noel! B.J. Thomas for Peace In the Valley Linda Hopkins for Precious Lord |
| 1985 | Donna Summer | "Forgive Me" from the album Cats Without Claws | Lisa Whelchel for All Because of You Philip Bailey for The Wonders of His Love Pat Boone for What I Believe Deniece Williams for Whiter Than Snow |
| 1986 | Jennifer Holliday | "Come Sunday" from the album Say You Love Me | Pat Boone for 16,000 Faces Barbara Mandrell for Christmas at Our House Glen Campbell for No More Light Kool & the Gang for You Are the One |
