Country Veterans Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney React to Their Grammy Nominations

Nominations for the 2017 Grammy Awards were announced this morning (Dec. 6), and it turned out to be good news for country veterans Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban.

Keith scored two nominations for Best Country Solo Performance (“Blue Ain’t Your Color”) and Best Country Album (Ripcord), while Kenny earned a nomination with P!nk for Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“Setting the World On Fire”).

“It’s 2 a.m. and I’m just coming down from a crazy great show overseas,” said Keith, who had just finished playing a show in Adelaide, Australia. “I’m totally blown away with these nominations. Making Ripcord was really a collaborative labor of love both for the music and all the people that helped me bring my vision to life. I’ll stay up anytime to hear news like this . . . just not sure of how to get to sleep now!”

“You’re kidding me,” Kenny said, when told the news. “That’s fantastic. What a thing, what news to wake up to. When I heard the song, I knew it was pretty special. But when we got P!nk on there, it was something else. She captures all the emotion, all the joy of being alive, being free and in the moment—and brought everything inside the song to life. I couldn’t be happier this morning, knowing the people who vote for the Grammys heard in that song all the things that I do.”

Hosted by James Corden, the 2017 Grammy Awards air on CBS on Sunday, February 12, 2017, at 8 p.m. EST.

photos of Keith Urban by Rick Diamond/ACM, Kenny Chesney by Allister Ann/EB Media

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