Country Music Association Award for Musician of the Year

The following list shows the recipients for the Country Music Association Award for Musician of the Year.[1] First presented at the inaugural CMA Awards in 1967 to Chet Atkins as the Instrumentalist of the Year award, the category received its current name at the 1988 CMA Awards.

Country Music Association Award for Musician of the Year
CountryUnited States
Presented byCountry Music Association
First awarded1967
Currently held byJenee Fleenor (2023)

The inaugural recipient of the award was guitarist Chet Atkins, who won in 1967. Atkins and Mac McAnally hold the record for most wins in the category, with ten each, while pedal steel player Paul Franklin has a leading thirty one nominations without ever winning. The first female nominee and winner in this category is fiddle player Jenee Fleenor, who is also the current holder of the award following her fifth consecutive win at the 57th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2023.[2]

Recipients

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Three-time recipient Jerry Douglas is known for playing dobro with Alison Krauss and Union Station.
 
Three-time winner Randy Scruggs.
 
Fiddle player Mark O'Connor is a six-time winner.
 
Charlie Daniels received the award in 1979.
 
Roy Clark won the award three times.
 
Two-time recipient Charlie McCoy.
Year Winner Nominees
2023[3]   Jenee Fleenor
2022[4]   Jenee Fleenor
2021   Jenee Fleenor
2020   Jenee Fleenor
2019   Jenee Fleenor
2018[5]   Mac McAnally
2017   Mac McAnally
2016   Dann Huff
2015   Mac McAnally
2014   Mac McAnally
2013   Mac McAnally
2012   Mac McAnally
2011   Mac McAnally
2010   Mac McAnally
2009   Mac McAnally
2008   Mac McAnally
2007   Jerry Douglas
2006   Randy Scruggs
2005   Jerry Douglas
2004   Dann Huff
2003   Randy Scruggs
2002   Jerry Douglas
2001   Dann Huff
2000   Hargus "Pig" Robbins
1999   Randy Scruggs
1998   Brent Mason
1997   Brent Mason
1996   Mark O'Connor
1995   Mark O'Connor
1994   Mark O'Connor
1993   Mark O'Connor
1992   Mark O'Connor
1991   Mark O'Connor
1990   Johnny Gimble
1989   Johnny Gimble
1988   Chet Atkins
1987   Johnny Gimble
1986   Johnny Gimble
1985   Chet Atkins
1984   Chet Atkins
1983   Chet Atkins
1982   Chet Atkins
1981   Chet Atkins
1980   Roy Clark
1979   Charlie Daniels
1978   Roy Clark
1977   Roy Clark
1976   Hargus "Pig" Robbins
1975   Johnny Gimble
1974   Don Rich
1973   Charlie McCoy
1972   Charlie McCoy
1971   Jerry Reed
1970   Jerry Reed
1969   Chet Atkins
1968   Chet Atkins
1967   Chet Atkins

Artists with multiple wins

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Artists that received multiple awards
Awards Artist
10 Chet Atkins
Mac McAnally
6 Johnny Gimble
5 Mark O'Connor
Jenee Fleenor
3 Dan Huff
Jerry Douglas
Roy Clark
2 Brent Mason
Charlie McCoy
Hargus "Pig" Robbins
Jerry Reed
Randy Scruggs

Artists with multiple nominations

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31 nominations
21 nominations
20 nominations
19 nominations
17 nominations
15 nominations
14 nominations
13 nominations
12 nominations
11 nominations
10 nominations
8 nominations
7 nominations
6 nominations
5 nominations
4 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations

References

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  1. ^ "Past Winners And Nominees". 2019 CMA Awards | Wednesday, November 13 on ABC.
  2. ^ "CMA Awards 2019: Jenee Fleenor becomes first woman to win Musician of the Year".
  3. ^ "Lainey Wilson Leads 2023 CMA Awards Nominations – And Makes History (Full List)". Billboard. September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  4. ^ "First-Timer Lainey Wilson Leads Nominations for 2022 CMA Awards: Full List". Billboard.
  5. ^ McCarthy, Kelly (August 28, 2018). "2018 CMA Awards nominations: See the full list". ABC News. Retrieved August 28, 2018.