Country Music Sweethearts Joey+Rory
Score GRAMMY® Nomination
Award-winning Country Duo’s “If I Needed You” Receives Nod for Best Country Duo/Group Performance
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—December 7th, 2015—Award-winning, husband and wife country music duo Joey+Rory received their first GRAMMY® nomination today for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. According to the announcement by The Recording Academy, the couple have been honored for their recording of “If I Needed You,” written by Townes Van Zandt and featured on their current project, Country Classics, A Tapestry of Our Musical Heritage (Gaither Music Group).
Inspired by songs from their childhoods and music that has shaped their relationship, the couple, long known for their inspiring love story and day-to-day farmhouse living, created their very own songbook of traditional American country music with this recording. In addition to the GRAMMY®-nominated selection, it includes songs such as “King of the Road,” “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” “Paper Roses,” “I Believe in You” and “Coat of Many Colors.”
“Joey and I understand what it means to be included on the GRAMMY® nominations list that came out this morning – it’s the biggest of the big. And we’re honored and humbled to be lifted up by our peers this way, especially in a year with Chris, Kacey, Brandy, Ashley and others who are leading the charge to write and sing from their hearts, even if it costs them some airplay and takes them a little longer to get there,” stated Rory lFeekl in an interview with Cindy Watts at The Tennessean.
“Joey and I woke up this morning just thankful for the chance to have another day to be together. That was enough. When you honestly don’t know what tomorrow will bring, you don’t think any further than today.* But hearing the news this morning brought not only tears and smiles, it has brought us hope.
“That week in February is going to be a big week for us. Our new Hymns album comes out on the 12th; the GRAMMYS® are on the 15th; and our little Indiana’s second birthday party will be on the 17th. Joey set a personal goal this morning of being here for all three; and she’s so faith-filled and determined, don’t be surprised if you see us sitting in the audience at the awards show, holding hands and smiling when they open the ballot and read the winner’s name.
“We have always loved that country music at its best is about songs that tell great stories. They’re usually stories told within the lyrics of the song. But this song, ‘If I Needed You,’ that Townes Van Zandt wrote years ago, tells a very different story–our story. And it’s a story that’s still unfolding today.”
Joey+Rory’s story includes a back home style of country music that has become a nationally known brand. The Academy of Country Music (ACM) Award-winning couple is widely known as the creators and hosts of “The Joey+Rory Show,” one of the highest-rated weekly programs on RFD-TV airing in 40 million households each week. The variety show is distributed to the DISH Network, DIRECTV, Comcast, Verizon FiOS TV, AT&T U-verse, Mediacom, Charter, Optimum, Brighthouse, Suddenlink, Time Warner, Cox and more than 600 independent rural cable systems.
The Country Classics CD and DVD have also been featured regularly on TV networks including RFD, PBS, DISH TV, DIRECTV, AT&T U-verse, TBN, Family Net, CTN, The Walk TV (formerly Legacy), TCT and TLN and also in Canada on Vision TV, CTS, Grace TV andthe Miracle Channel. The DVD has been featured on Gaither TV (available on DISH TV, Roku, Google and the Internet).
The Country Classics (Gaither Music Group) DVD debuted at #1 on the BILLBOARD Music Video chart, according to Nielsen SoundScan, upon its release in 2014. Produced by Rory, the audio recording appeared at #2 on the Christian Country chart, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Country Classics is exclusively distributed by Capitol Christian Distribution and is available throughout general market stores and the Christian marketplace in addition to online retailers including iTunes, Amazon and here at www.gaither.com. The audio recording is available at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®.
The 58th GRAMMY® Awards will be held on Monday, February 15, 2016, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.
*As reported on Rory’s blog www.thislifeilive.com and covered by major media outlets across the country, Joey has been fighting Stage 4 cancer for more than six months.
Country Classics Audio TRACK LISTING:
01. How’s the World Treating You
02. Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
12. Back Home Again
