For Immediate Release
8 December 2005
For More Information
Holly Gleason, Joe's Garage


"Bless The Broken Road" Gets GRAMMY Song AND Country Song Noms
Rascal Flatts Hit Brings Nashville Writers Into One of the Four All-Genre Categories

   New York/Los Angeles/Nashville: When the nominations for the 48th annual Grammy Awards were announced not only did Jeff Hanna, Marcus Hummon and Bobby Boyd find themselves up for Country Song of the Year for Rascal Flatts #1 "Bless The Broken Road," but they were also recognized in the all-genre Song of the Year category -- considered to be one of "the big four" categories, which every voting member of the National Academy off Recording Arts & Sciences casts a ballot for.

   "To be mentioned in the same breath as Springsteen or any of the other people is winning in itself," says soft-spoken Hummon, who was nominated previously for Country Song with the Dixie Chicks' "Ready To Run," which won the trio Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. "This song has its own broken road, beginning out of a conversation in a bar - and then becoming a song, being cut a few times,and now this. I think it just kept coming back to some songs wanna have their time; they want to be heard. When I heard Rascal Flatts' cut, I knew this song was going to have its time in the sun."

   Rounding out the Song of the Year category is Bruce Springsteen's "Devils & Dust," John Legends' hit "Ordinary People," U2's "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" and Mariah Carey's hit "We Belong Together."

   For Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founder Jeff Hanna - whose own band initially cut the song for their Acoustic album, these nominations could supplement the three Grammys already sitting on his mantle. Still, the significance for him extends far beyond winning. As he explains, "In the rush of nominations and having a hit, it's easy to focus on that, but what's striking me today is that since we first recorded this song - and Marcus has had the same experience since his record came out with it, too - is the way people have related to this song.

   "The idea that some things that seem very difficult at the time sometimes lead to something even better is inspiring, but not as inspiring as having people tell you their stories at shows. I can't tell you how many people have told us they had this song played at their wedding. There just words to describe that feeling."

   "Bless The Broken Road" also helped Rascal Flatts earn a Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group nomination. Hanna and Hummon's "Roll The Stone Away" helped the NGDB score a nomination last year, while Hummon's "Only Love" also helped Wynonna earn a Best Country Vocal Performance, Female nomination.

   For Hanna, who's three Grammys are 1989's Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group for Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. 2 and Best Bluegrass Recording with Bruce Hornsby for "The Valley Road" from the same album and 2004's Best Country Instrumental with "Earl's Breakdown" from Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. 3 featuring Earl and Randy Scruggs, Vassar Clements and Jerry Douglas, it brings his nomination total to nine. BobbyBoyd is enjoying his first Grammy nominations

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