Thomas Rhett on Grammy Nomination for ‘Center Point Road’: ‘It Really Does Mean the World’

Thomas Rhett is opening up about his surprising Grammy Award nomination for his recent Center Point Road album. The singer, who released Center Point Road last May, didn’t expect to see his name in the list of nominees for Best Country Album, and is still trying to come to terms with the good news.

“When you get nominated for an album, a full project, it really does mean the world,” Rhett told ABC Audio. “Because a record just takes so much work to complete, [from] the writers and the producers and the background singers and everybody.”

“So, to be recognized by the Grammys for that is ridiculous,” he added.

This isn’t Rhett’s first Grammy nod. He received two previously: for Best Country Song, for “Die a Happy Man” in 2016, and also in 2017 Best Country Album for his previous record, Life Changes. But while he is becoming a veteran at receiving the industry accolade, he never expected it for a record like Center Point Road.

“This album was just so personal,” Rhett reflected. “I wish I knew how the voting happened. I wish I could have been in the room where I heard why my record [was nominated].”

“But it was really vulnerable, and it talks about my family and my hometown and [it’s] one of the more deeper albums that I’ve made,” he continued. “And so it’s really cool to see that be celebrated.”

Rhett just celebrated another No. 1 hit, this time with “Remember You Young,” and is back at radio with “Beer Can’t Fix,” a duet with Jon Pardi.

“On a sunny day in Los Angeles, we were just like, ‘Let’s name all these situations where, just maybe going out with your buddies and cracking a cold beer, maybe just takes your mind off of something for a second,’” Rhett shared with his record label. “Whether you just got broken up with, or you and your wife planned this perfect beach trip to Cancun and it rains every single day. What are you gonna do except go to the bar and be like, ‘Can I get a Corona, please?’ All these situations of … you’re fishing and nothing’s happening, or you’re playing golf and you’re terrible at it – just kind of the light-hearted way to say, just take life a little bit easier.

“And so when we wrote this song, I was like, ‘We’re getting Jon Pardi on this song,’” he continued. “I’m such a gigantic fan of Jon, like, my wife likes Jon Pardi better than she likes me. And I was like, ‘Jon, I got this song called ‘Ain’t Nothin’ Beer Can’t Fix.’ I really want you to sing on it with me.’ And I sent him the song, and he goes, ‘When do I sing?’ And when Jon put his vocal on this thing, I was like, ‘Dude, let’s go!’”

The 2020 Grammy Awards will air live on Sunday, Jan. 26 on CBS.

Photo Credit: Getty / Presley Ann