Grammy Nominations: Maren Morris, Sturgill Simpson and Kelsea Ballerini Score in Top Categories
Maren Morris, Sturgill Simpson and Kelsea Ballerini are each nominated in top all-genre categories at the 59th annual Grammy Awards. The nominations were revealed Tuesday morning (Dec. 6).
Ballerini and Morris represent country in the best new artist category, which includes the Chainsmokers, Chance the Rapper and Anderson .Paak.
Simpson's A Sailor's Guide to Earth is up for album of the year along with Adele's 25, Beyoncé's Lemonade, Justin Bieber's Purpose and Drake's Views.
Morris and Grammy-winning hit-maker Lori McKenna lead the country and American roots nominees with four nominations each.
Morris' debut album Hero and Simpson's A Sailor's Guide to Earth are nominated for best country album with Brandy Clark's Big Day in a Small Town, Loretta Lynn's Full Circle and Keith Urban's Ripcord. Her debut hit single "My Church" is nominated for best country solo performance and best country song.
McKenna's nominations include best country song for Tim McGraw's "Humble and Kind," best Americana album for The Bird & the Rifle and best American roots performance for "Wreck You," the latter of which is nominated for best American roots song.
Vocal group Pentatonix make their debut in best country duo/group performance category with Dolly Parton for their 2016 version of "Jolene." Other collaborations in the category include Dierks Bentley and Elle King's "Different for Girls," Kenny Chesney and P!nk's "Setting the World on Fire" and Chris Young and Cassadee Pope's "Think of You." "21 Summer" marks Brothers Osborne's second consecutive nomination in the category.
Outside of the country categories, Willie Nelson's Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin is nominated for best traditional pop vocal album along with Andrea Bocelli's Cinema, Bob Dylan's Fallen Angels, Josh Groban's Stages Live and Barbra Streisand's Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway.
Love Remains by Hillary Scott & The Scott Family is nominated for best contemporary christian music album, while the collection's lead single "Thy Will" is up for best contemporary christian music performance/song. Joey + Rory's Hymns is also nominated for best roots gospel album.
Additionally, the Grand Ole Opry's first concert film, American Saturday Night: Live From the Grand Ole Opry, is up for best music film. The category includes Beyoncé's visual album for Lemonade, plus music documentaries on Steve Aoki, The Beatles and Yo-Yo Ma & the Silk Road Ensemble.
The 59th annual Grammy Awards air live Feb. 12 on CBS.
Here's a list of nominations in the country-related categories:
Best Country Album
Big Day in a Small Town, Brandy Clark
Full Circle, Loretta Lynn
Hero, Maren Morris
A Sailor's Guide to Earth, Sturgill Simpson
Ripcord, Keith Urban
Best Country Solo Performance
"Love Can Go to Hell," Brandy Clark
"Vice," Miranda Lambert
"My Church," Maren Morris
"Church Bells," Carrie Underwood
"Blue Ain't Your Color," Keith Urban
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
"Different for Girls," Dierks Bentley featuring Elle King
"21 Summer," Brothers Osborne
"Setting the World on Fire," Kenny Chesney & P!nk
"Jolene," Pentatonix featuring Dolly Parton
"Think of You," Chris Young With Cassadee Pope
Best Country Song
"Blue Ain't Your Color," Keith Urban
Songwriters: Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey and Steven Lee Olsen
"Die a Happy Man," Thomas Rhett
Songwriters: Sean Douglas, Thomas Rhett and Joe Spargur
"Humble and Kind," Tim McGraw
Songwriter: Lori McKenna
"My Church," Maren Morris
Songwriters: busbee and Maren Morris
"Vice," Miranda Lambert
Songwriters: Miranda Lambert, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne
Best Bluegrass Album
Original Traditional, Blue Highway
Burden Bearer, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
The Hazel and Alice Sessions, Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands
North by South, Claire Lynch
Coming Home, O'Connor Band With Mark O'Connor
Best Americana Album
True Sadness, The Avett Brothers
This Is Where I Live, William Bell
The Cedar Creek Sessions, Kris Kristofferson
The Bird & the Rifle, Lori McKenna
Kid Sister, the Time Jumpers
Best American Roots Song
"Alabama at Night," Robbie Fulks
Songwriter: Robbie Fulks
"City Lights," Jack White
Songwriter: Jack White
"Kid Sister," the Time Jumpers
Songwriter: Vince Gill
"Gulfstream," Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars
Songwriters: Eric Adcock and Roddie Romero
"Wreck You," Lori McKenna
Songwriters: Lori McKenna and Felix McTeigue
Best American Roots Performance
"Ain't No Man," The Avett Brothers
"Mother's Children Have a Hard Time," Blind Boys of Alabama
"Factory Girl," Rhiannon Giddens
"House of Mercy," Sarah Jarosz
"Wreck You," Lori McKenna
Best Folk Album
Silver Skies Blue, Judy Collins & Ari Hest
Upland Stories, Robbie Fulks
Factory Girl, Rhiannon Giddens
Weighted Mind, Sierra Hull
Undercurrent, Sarah Jarosz