Grammy Award For Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female
Prior to 1981, the gender-neutral category of Best Jazz Vocal Performance existed. The first award specifically for female performances was presented to Ella Fitzgerald in 1981 for the album A Perfect Match. The category remained unchanged until 1985, when it was combined with the award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male and presented in the genderless category. Gender-specific awards were once again presented from 1986 until 1991. In 1992, the two categories were combined and presented as the category Best Jazz Vocal Performance. This category was later renamed to Best Jazz Vocal Album beginning in 2001. While the gender-specific award has not been presented since the category merge in 1992, an official confirmation of its retirement has not been announced.
Fitzgerald holds the record for the most wins in this category, with four. Diane Schuur is the only other artist to receive the award more than once, with two consecutive wins. American artists have been presented with the award more than any other nationality, though it has been presented to a vocalist from the United Kingdom once. Betty Carter and Maxine Sullivan share the record for the most nominations without a win, with three each.
Recipients
![Black and white image of a woman wearing glasses and a dress with sequins, holding a microphone](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Ellafitzgerald.jpg/170px-Ellafitzgerald.jpg)
![A woman wearing an orange dress and earrings, holding a microphone](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Cleo_Laine.jpg/170px-Cleo_Laine.jpg)
![Black and white image of a woman wearing a dress and earrings, holding a microphone in one hand while the other is raised in the air](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/CarterBetty19861025.jpg/170px-CarterBetty19861025.jpg)
Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
Award was combined with the Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male category and presented in a genderless category known as Best Jazz Vocal Album.