Alan Jackson News

New faces mix with familiar friends among the country artists vying for Grammy awards on Sunday.

Jamey Johnson, Lady Antebellum and James Otto -- who may one day be referred to as the "class of 2008" much in the same way that Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt and Clint Black were identified as the "class of 1989" -- are in good company with the resurgent Randy Travis and Patty Loveless.

After being dropped by Sony BMG Nashville and going through a divorce in 2006, singer/songwriter Johnson self-released "That Lonesome Song," now nominated for best country album, on the Web. Soon after, Johnson, who is up for best male country vocal performance, drew the attention of Mercury Nashville. His debut single, "In Color," which he co-wrote, is also up for best country song. All three nominations are firsts for Johnson, who picked up Academy of Country Music and Country Music Assn. song of the year awards in 2007 for "Give It Away," a hit for George Strait.

Otto is another example of an artist who found his stride during his second label deal. After a struggling start to his career at Mercury Nashville, Otto found a new home at Warner Bros. Now he's nominated against pal Johnson in the country male vocalist category and with him for best country song -- the two men co-wrote "In Color" with Lee Thomas Miller.

Lady Antebellum, which is a rare country entry in the overall best new artist category (and probably a long shot at that), is also nominated in the best country duo or group division.

As for Travis, he's won six Grammys through the years, but the last three have been in the gospel category. His return to country this summer with "Around the Bend" (Warner Bros.) has netted him a country album nod, while a track from that set, "Dig Two Graves," written by Ashley Gorley and Bob Regan, is up for best country song.

Loveless, who like Travis was part of the neo-traditionalist wave of the mid-'80s, is nominated in the country vocal collaboration category (with Strait for "House of Cash"), and her classic covers set, "Sleepless Nights," is up for best country album.

Superstar Strait, who is nominated for best male country vocal, best country album and with, separately, Kenny Chesney (for "Shiftwork") and Loveless for country collaboration, has never won a Grammy. "I Saw God Today," which Strait recorded, is up for best country song.

And while lead singer Jennifer Nettles picked up a country collaboration Grammy in 2006 for "Who Says You Can't Go Home" with Bon Jovi, her group Sugarland has never won an award. This year it is nominated in the country duo or group category and for country collaboration (with Jake Owen and Little Big Town for "Life in a Northern Town"). The Nettles-penned "Stay" is up for best country song.

Reuters/Billboard