TWO country artists, Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini are finalists for best new artist at the 59th Grammy Awards.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The finalists were announced this week, and alongside the specific awards for country music, Morris, Ballerini and Sturgill Simpson picked up nominations in categories that cover all genres of music.
While Morris and Ballerini are up against Chance the Rapper, Anderson Paak and Chainsmokers in the best new artist category, Simpson has been nominated for album of the year, alongside Adele, Beyoncé, Drake and Justin Bieber.
Simpson’s album, A Sailor's Guide to Earth, and Morris’ album Hero are both nominated for best country album, alongside Big Day in a Small Town by Brandy Clark, Loretta Lynn’s Full Circle, and Keith Urban’s latest release Ripcord.
Urban also has an interest in best country song where his song Blue Ain't Your Color, written by Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey and Steven Lee Olsen.
The other nominees are Thomas Rhett’s Die a Happy Man (written by Sean Douglas, Thomas Rhett and Joe Spargur, Tim McGraw’s Humble and Kind (written by Lori McKenna, Maren Morris’ My Church, and Miranda Lambert’s Vice (written by Lambert, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne).
In best country solo performance the nominees are Brandy Clark (Love Can Go to Hell), Miranda Lambert (Vice), Morris’ My Church, Carrie Underwood’s My Church and Urban with Blue Ain't Your Color.
The nominees for best country duo/group performance are Dierks Bentley and Elle King (Different For Girls), Brothers Osborne (21 Summer), Kenny Chesney and P!nk (Setting the World on Fire), Pentatonix and Dolly Parton (Jolene), and Chris Young’s duet with Cassadee Pope (Think of You).
Meanwhile, Urban this week has said he would like to return to the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
The Australian country star was speaking to the media after the Grammy nominations were announced and said he harbours a soft spot for our part of the world.
“I was nine when I first went to Tamworth and I went every year for many, many years camping in tents, caravans, staying in crappy hotels. I’ve done every combination of it,” Urban told AAP in Sydney.
Urban said he would love to return to the country festival where it all began for him and take his wife, Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, and their two daughters with him.
“I would love to do it. I would particularly like to take Nic because she’s never been and the kids. It’s such a huge part of my youth,” he said.
In 1990, Urban was the recipient of the Star Maker award at Tamworth before later relocating to Nashville.
Urban is back in Australia to kick off his Ripcord tour in Adelaide on Tuesday night before hitting eight arena dates across the country.
He said he would be spending Christmas in Sydney with Kidman and their two daughters.
Next February, the 59th Grammy Awards will be presented in Los Angeles.