The Grammy awards recognize American folk or root music under the field, American Roots. The particular field of music includes genres like Bluegrass, country music, gospel, old time music, jug bands, Appalachian folk, blues, Cajun and Native American music. The name “roots music” stuck to the field because the genres that came under this field were to heavily influence the music that was developed later on in the U.S. including Rock and Roll, R&B and Jazz. The categories awarded under this field at the Grammys are:
Grammys American Roots Field
- Best Americana Album - Americana is a subset of American roots music, formed by the confluence of varied traditions of American music, it can be defined as a merger between influential music styles in America, including elements of folk, country blues, bluegrass, alternative country, rockabilly, neo traditional & roots rock.
- Best Bluegrass Album - Bluegrass is a sub-genre of country and is a form of American roots music, it was inspired by the music of immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland and it also drew inspiration from Jazz and Blues.
- Best Traditional Blues Album - The category has been largely dominated by B.B. King, who has won the award ten times. From 2001 to 2003 the recipients for the award included the producers and engineers along with the artists.
- Best Contemporary Blues Album - Contemporary Blues was bought into the mainstream music circuit by artists such as Albert Collins, R.L. Burnside, Son Seals, Stevie Ray Vaughan and others.
- Best Traditional Folk Album - Famed folk singer, comedienne and actress, June Carter Cash has been honored the most in the category, winning the award three times.
- Best Contemporary Folk Album - Legendry poet and folk singer, Bob Dylan has won the award thrice making him the most awarded in this category.
- Best Hawaiian Music Album - Hawaiian music is famous for slack key guitars, these are guitars that are not tuned to the standard guitar tuning, and instead the keys are slackened till the six strings form a major chord, namely the G chord.
- Best Native American Music Album - The Grammy Award for Best Native American Music Album has been handed out annually after its introduction in the year 2001. It helped to promote and honor those involved in creating and performing Native American music.
- Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album - Zedyco and Cajun are types of folk music that originated from French Louisiana and have influenced popular genres of music in America.