A year-by-year record of the country music artists nominated for and awarded CMA Male Vocalist of the Year throughout the 1980s.
Written by Amanda Tempel
Published: November 13, 2026
The CMA Male Vocalist of the Year category saw six different winners during the 1980s, with four artists earning the honor in consecutive years. Willie Nelson was nominated every year from 1980 through 1983, while George Strait appeared among the nominees for six consecutive years beginning in 1984. The decade also included a posthumous nomination for Keith Whitley in 1989, just months after his death. Below is the complete year-by-year record of CMA Male Vocalist of the Year winners and nominees from 1980 through 1989.
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1980
Winner: George Jones
Nominees:
John Conlee
Willie Nelson
Kenny Rogers
Don Williams
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1981
Winner: George Jones
Nominees:
Ronnie Milsap
Willie Nelson
Kenny Rogers
Don Williams
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1982
Winner: Ricky Skaggs
Nominees:
Merle Haggard
George Jones
Ronnie Milsap
Willie Nelson
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1983
Winner: Lee Greenwood
Nominees:
John Anderson
Merle Haggard
Willie Nelson
Ricky Skaggs
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1984
Winner: Lee Greenwood
Nominees:
Merle Haggard
Gary Morris
Ricky Skaggs
George Strait
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1985
Winner: George Strait
Nominees:
Lee Greenwood
Gary Morris
Ricky Skaggs
Hank Williams Jr.
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1986
Winner: George Strait
Nominees:
George Jones
Gary Morris
Randy Travis
Hank Williams Jr.
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1987
Winner: Randy Travis
Nominees:
George Jones
Ricky Skaggs
George Strait
Hank Williams Jr
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1988
Winner: Randy Travis
Nominees:
Vern Gosdin
George Strait
Ricky Van Shelton
Hank Williams Jr.
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1989
Winner: Ricky Van Shelton
Nominees:
Rodney Crowell
George Strait
Randy Travis
Keith Whitley
Source
Country Music Association (CMA) – Past Winners and Nominees
Explore More CMA Male Vocalist of the Year History
Return to our complete CMA Male Vocalist of the Year winners list for every winner since 1967, all-time records, and links to nominees by decade.
For earlier results, visit our CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees: 1960s and 1970s database, featuring every winner and nominee from 1967 through 1979.