Keith Urban is up for Vocal Event of the Year for his collaboration on “Raise ‘Em Up” with Eric Church.
Keith says the song didn’t start out as a duet. “The lyric is just absolutely extraordinary, and all the things ‘Raise Em-Up’ can apply to,” he says. “I felt this song was such a journey and a deeply American aspect to this song too, particularly in the second verse. And what ‘Raise Em-Up’ can mean, all the various things that that phrase can mean; it’s such a cinematic song, and I’ve always considered Eric as a cinematic artist, and I sent him the song and he was in the studio immediately. I am so glad he wanted to be a part of it because it took the song to a new place.”
Keith is set to duet with John Mellencamp on Wednesday night’s CMA Awards, which will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday (November 4th) at 8pm ET on ABC.
Audio / Keith Urban talks about the song "Raise 'Em Up," featuring pal Eric Church.
DownloadKeith Urban (Raise ‘Em Up-Church) 2 OC: …new place. 1:04
“It’s not a duet, but it hit me that this might be a good song for us to do as a duet because it’s an extraordinary song to begin with. When I got sent it, it got sent under the heading of ‘Song of the Year,’ and I thought, well that’s a tall order for a song. Then I saw the writers Jeffery Steele, Tom Douglas, and Jaren Johnston, and I went, ‘Okay we’ve got some pretty stout writers on this song.’ The lyric is just absolutely extraordinary, and all the things ‘Raise Em-Up’ can apply to. I felt this song was such a journey and a deeply American aspect to this song too, particularly in the second verse. And what ‘Raise Em-Up’ can mean, all the various things that that phrase can mean; it’s such a cinematic song, and I’ve always considered Eric as a cinematic artist, and I sent him the song and he was in the studio immediately. I am so glad he wanted to be a part of it because it took the song to a new place.”
