Explore every Grammy Best Country Song winner and nominee from 1970 through 1979, including the songs, recording artists, and songwriters recognized during the decade.
Written by Amanda Tempel
Published: November 7, 2026
The 1970s marked an important decade for country music songwriting, as traditional country sounds shared the spotlight with songs that reached audiences beyond the genre. The Grammy Award for Best Country Song recognized the songwriters behind some of the decade's most memorable recordings. Explore the complete list of Grammy Best Country Song winners and nominees from 1970 through 1979, organized by award year.
Each year includes the winning song, its songwriter or songwriters, and the recording artist. For the nominees, songwriting credits are listed first, followed by the recording artist in parentheses.
Grammy Best Country Song Winners and Nominees: 1970
Winner: “A Boy Named Sue”
Songwriter: Shel Silverstein
Recording Artist: Johnny Cash
Nominees:
“You Gave Me A Mountain” - Marty Robbins (Marty Robbins)
“The Things That Matter” - Don Sumner (Van Trevor)
“Stand By Your Man” - Billy Sherrilland Tammy Wynette (Tammy Wynette)
“All I Have To Offer You Is Me” - Dallas Frazier and A. L. Owens (Charley Pride)
Grammy Best Country Song Winners and Nominees: 1971
Winner: “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife”
Songwriter: Marty Robbins
Recording Artist: Marty Robbins
Nominees:
“Wonder Could I Live There Anymore” - Bill Rice (Charley Pride)
“The Fightin’ Side of Me” - Merle Haggard (Merle Haggard)
“Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone” - Dave Kirby and Glenn Martin (Charley Pride)
“Hello Darlin’” - Conway Twitty (Conway Twitty)
Grammy Best Country Song Winners and Nominees: 1972
Winner: “Help Me Make It Through The Night”
Songwriter: Kris Kristofferson
Recording Artist: Sammi Smith
Nominees:
“Rose Garden” - Joe South (Lynn Anderson)
“Me and Bobby McGee” - Fred Foster and Kris Kristofferson (Kris Kristofferson)
“For The Good Times” - Kris Kristofferson (Ray Price)
“Easy Loving” - Freddie Hart (Freddie Hart)
Grammy Best Country Song Winners and Nominees: 1973
Winner: “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’”
Songwriter: Ben Peters
Recording Artist: Charley Pride
Nominees:
“Woman (Sensuous Woman)” - Gary S. Paxton (Don Gibson)
“Happiest Girl in the Whole USA” - Donna Fargo (Donna Fargo)
“Funny Face” - Donna Fargo (Donna Fargo)
“Delta Dawn” - Alex Harvey (Tanya Tucker)
Grammy Best Country Song Winners and Nominees: 1974
Winner: “Behind Closed Doors”
Songwriter: Kenny O'Dell
Recording Artist: Charlie Rich
Nominees:
“Why Me” - Kris Kristofferson (Kris Kristofferson)
“The Most Beautiful Girl” - Rory Bourke, Billy Sherrill, and Norris Wilson (Charlie Rich)
“Country Sunshine” - Billy Davis and Dottie West (Dottie West)
“(Old Dogs…Children And) Watermelon Wine” - Tom T. Hall (Tom T. Hall)
Grammy Best Country Song Winners and Nominees: 1975
Winner: “A Very Special Love Song”
Songwriters: Billy Sherrill and Norris Wilson
Recording Artist: Charlie Rich
Nominees:
“Paper Roses” - Fred Spielman and Janice Torre (Marie Osmond)
“If We Make It Through December” - Merle Haggard (Merle Haggard)
“I’m A Ramblin’ Man” - Ray Pennington (Waylon Jennings)
“Fairytale” - Anita Pointer and Bonnie Pointer (The Pointer Sisters)
Grammy Best Country Song Winners and Nominees: 1976
Winner: “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song”
Songwriters: Larry Butler and Chips Moman
Recording Artist: B.J. Thomas
Nominees:
“Thank God I’m A Country Boy” - John Martin Sommers (John Denver)
“I’m Not Lisa” - Jessi Colter (Jessi Colter)
“Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” - Fred Rose (Willie Nelson)
“Before The Next Teardrop Falls” - Vivian Keith and Ben Peters (Freddy Fender)
Grammy Best Country Song Winners and Nominees: 1977
Winner: “Broken Lady”
Songwriter: Larry Gatlin
Recording Artist: Larry Gatlin
Nominees:
“The Door Is Always Open” - Dickey Lee and Bob McDill (Dave & Sugar)
“Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life” - Paul Craft (Moe Bandy)
“Every Time You Touch Me (I Get High)” - Charlie Rich and Billy Sherrill (Charlie Rich)
“Dropkick Me, Jesus” - Paul Craft (Bobby Bare)
Grammy Best Country Song Winners and Nominees: 1978
Winner: “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
Songwriter: Richard Leigh
Recording Artist: Crystal Gayle
Nominees:
“Luckenbach, Texas” - Bobby Emmons and Chips Moman (Waylon Jennings)
“Lucille” - Roger Bowling and Hal Bynum (Kenny Rogers)
“It Was Almost Like A Song” - Hal David and Archie Jordan (Ronnie Milsap)
“Desperado” - Glenn Frey and Don Henley (Eagles)
Grammy Best Country Song Winners and Nominees: 1979
Winner: “The Gambler”
Songwriter: Don Schlitz
Recording Artist: Kenny Rogers
Nominees:
“Take This Job and Shove It” - David Allan Coe (Johnny Paycheck)
“Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” - Ed Bruce and Patsy Bruce (Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson)
“Let’s Take the Long Way Around This World” - Archie Jordan and Naomi Martin (Ronnie Milsap)
“Every Time Two Fools Collide” - Jan Dyer and Jeffrey Tweel (Kenny Rogers & Dottie West)
Source: Recording Academy, official Grammy Awards historical records.