2019 CMA Awards: Blake Shelton's 'God's Country' Earns Songwriters First Nomination

When Blake Shelton released 'God's Country,' he knew the song had the ability to change his [...]

By Gayle Thompson

When Blake Shelton released "God's Country," he knew the song had the ability to change his career, but he likely never imagined what the single would do for the songwriters. "God's Country," written by HARDY, Devin Dawson and Jordan Schmidt, earned Shelton a nomination for Music Video of the Year, but also earned each of the three songwriters their first-ever CMA Awards nomination, for Song of the Year.

"Ain't a bad way to start the day.... #GodsCountry has been nominated for this year's @CountryMusic's Song of the Year," HARDY tweeted.

"Looks like it's suits & boots for us boys @HardyMusic @jordanmschmidt!!!" added Dawson. "FIRED UP for @blakeshelton & all of his huge @CountryMusic nominations this year & honored to be considered next to all the other powerhouse nominees... CHEERS ! -DD"

Shelton praised the songwriters for their nod when speaking out about his own CMA Awards nominations, which marks his first nods in four years.

"Also I'm extremely happy for Devin Dawson, Hardy and Jordan Schmidt for their song of the year nomination!" Shelton posted. "Thank you guys for an incredible song."

Shelton vividly recalls where he was, and how he felt, when he first heard the demo for "God's Country."

"'God's Country' is a song that was sent to me by [producer] Scott Hendricks," Shelton previously recounted. "I was actually here in Oklahoma, on the ranch, and I'll never forget it. I was actually running a skid steer, and they sent it to me. I was shocked. I had to stop and just listen to this song, because the song was talking to me about a place that I was in at that moment, which was a place in the middle of nowhere that meant something to me that probably nobody else could ever understand, what that is and what it is inside of me and what my connection is to the land.

"At that moment, I realized, 'I've gotta record this song,'" he added. "And I think I even decided before I even recorded it, 'This has got to be the song that I put out next.'"

The 2019 CMA Awards will air live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Photo Credit: Getty images / Terry Wyatt

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