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	Ref.
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	[1]
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	[2]
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	[3]
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	[4]
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	[5]
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	[6]
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	[7]
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	[8]
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	[9]
1971	Jake Hess	Everything Is Beautiful	Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Richard Condie (conductor) for God of Our Fathers Pat Boone for Rapture Ralph Carmichael Orchestra and Chorus for The Centurion' George Beverly Shea for There Is More to Life	[10]
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	[11]
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	[12]
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	[13]
1975	Elvis Presley	"How Great Thou Art" from the album Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis	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	[14]
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	[15]
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	[16]
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	[17]
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	[18]
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	[19]
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	[20]
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	[21]
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	[22]
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	[23]
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	[24]
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	[25]