Aldean, Swift lead Grammy Noms

Fresh off winning his first CMA Awards, Jason Aldean picked up his first Grammy nominations.  His #1 hit, “Dirt Road Anthem,” is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance.  “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” his duet with Kelly Clarkson, is in the category of Best Country Duo/Group Performance.  Plus his top-selling CD, “My Kinda Party,” is in the Best Country Album category. Aldean commented on the nominations: “I’m excited.  Obviouslythe Grammy Awards are the biggest thing in music for us.  This is not only my first nomination, but my first three!  So it’s been a good night!”

Taylor Swift also has three nominations, for Best Country Solo Performance, Best Country Song, and Best Country Album.  Her previous CD, “Fearless,” won the Best Country Album and Best Album Grammy awards in 2008.  That same year, her hit “White Horse” won Best Country Song and Best Country Female Performance.

Other multiple nominees are Thompson Square for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Country Song, and Blake Shelton for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Album.

Single nominees include Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney & Grace Potter, Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, and George Strait.  The Band Perry are competing in the all-genre Best New Artist category.  They are the only Country artist in any of the all-genre categories.

There are fewer categories in Country this year.  The Male and Female Performance categories were merged into a Solo Performance category, and the Vocal Event has been merged in with Duo/Group Performance.

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards will air live from Los Angeles’ Staples Center, Feb. 12 at 8:00 PM ET on CBS.

 Here is the complete list of Country Grammy Nominees:

25. Best Country Solo Performance

26. Best Country Duo/Group Performance

27. Best Country Song

28. Best Country Album

Tags: aldean, grammy

Category: NEWS