For any artist or songwriter, in any genre of music, winning a Grammy Award is considered the pinnacle of success. Still, there are plenty of songs that deserved a Grammy Award, but didn't get one. We picked four songs that were the most worthy of a Grammy.
Videos by Wide Open Country
1. "A Little Past Little Rock" by Lee Ann Womack
Lee Ann Womack sings pure country gold on "A Little Past Little Rock." Out in 1998 as the first single from her sophomore Some Things I Know album, "A Little Past Little Rock" is the classic tale of getting over heartbreak, with well-crafted lyrics Jess Brown, Brett Jones and Tony Lane, and helped by Womack's flawless delivery.
A small consolation might be that the song did earn Womack her first-ever Grammy Award nomination, for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Sadly, she walked away empty-handed that night, with the Grammy in that category going to Shania Twain's "You're Still The One" instead.
2. "The Dance" by Garth Brooks
Like Womack, Garth Brooks' "The Dance" was nominated, but it didn't win a trophy. Written by Tony Arata, the song was in the running for Best Country Song. The trophy instead went to Kathy Mattea's "Where've You Been," written by Don Henry and Jon Vezner.
Even more shocking, as arguably one of the most successful artists in country music, Brooks only has two Grammy Awards. He's been nominated a total of 14 times. That means that he has plenty of other hits, including "To Make You Feel My Love," "She's Every Woman," "We Shall Be Free," and more, which also didn't get any Grammy love.
3. "Beautiful Crazy" by Luke Combs
Luke Combs has had eight Grammy Award nominations, but has yet to walk away with a trophy, not that he doesn't deserve one. Combs has had hit after hit after hit, including his 14-times Platinum single, "Beautiful Crazy," which he wrote with Wyatt Durrette and Robert Williford.
Even more surprising, Combs has only received one Grammy Award nomination for his songwriting, and it was for "Doin' This." That song, out in 2021, marks Combs' only nomination for Best Country Song, at least so far.
4. "The Tin Man" by Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney can apparently enter the Country Music Hall of Fame, but he can't win a Grammy Award. Chesney has been nominated a total of eight times, but has yet to win even one, although he deserves plenty. The East Tennessee native has released hit after hit after hit, including "The Tin Man." Surprisingly he released not once but twice.
Chesney co-wrote "The Tin Man" with Stacey Slate and Dave Lowe, releasing it as his second single from his freshman In My Wildest Dreams record. In 2001, Chesney recorded the song again, for his Greatest Hits project, making it a Top 20 hit.
That in itself may not seem like enough to win a Grammy, but the song is Chesney at his best, as a songwriter and performer. Of course, the Recording Academy couldn't know then what country music fans know now, which is that 24 years later, the song would become one of Chesney's most beloved hits.
