Dolly Parton photo courtesy of Dolly Parton Management.

The list is out, the tickets to Los Angeles are being bought, and the country stars in the running for 2010 Grammy Awards are all coming to grips with the reality that their work is being recognized by their peers among the year’s best.

Kenny Chesney’s duet with Mac McAnally, Dolly Parton’s Broadway cast album and Lady Antebellum’s pair of nominations have all spurred gratitude and joy. Tracy Lawrence scored his first-ever Grammy nomination, Jim Lauderdale is a bluegrass finalist — and also had a hand in a couple of other nominated projects: He wrote two songs on George Strait’s Twang album, and he was a member of Elvis Costello’s supporting band on Secret, Profane & Sugarcane. Keith Urban collected four nods, and Taylor Swift appeared eight times on the list.

Here’s what they’re saying about their good Grammy fortune:

• Dolly Parton: “What a great holiday gift to hear that 9 to 5: The Musical cast album has been nominated for a Grammy. I feel blessed to have worked with such a talented, wonderful and deserving group of people. ‘9 To 5’ truly is the gift that keeps on giving!”
• Hillary Scott, Lady Antebellum: “The nominees are all so talented. The most fun part for us is just being able to go and see some of these artists, who we are all huge fans of, perform on the show. The collaborations and over-the-top production are always so creative and unpredictable. We love it!”
• Kenny Chesney: “Some things are just magic and you know it. I knew the first time I heard Mac sing [‘Down The Road’] on his Simple Life record — the same place I heard ‘Back Where I Come From.’ It gets inside and lets you understand everything about life you don’t even realize. So it makes sense the Grammy people — who’re from all musical genres — would recognize this song and the heart Mac brings… I’m honored to share this with my friend.”
• Tracy Lawrence: “My mom and dad had been coaxing me for years to record an inspirational country CD. I promised them I would but kept pushing it off because it just didn’t feel like the right time. I had to grow, personally and artistically, to get here. The Rock has been full of personal surprises for me. I’ve received an overwhelming response from fans old and new. I’m so happy this album seems to have touched so many, and now, with the Grammy nomination, this is affirmation that the timing was right for me.”
• Jim Lauderdale: “There’s so much great bluegrass music out there. I’m excited my own record got nominated, and it was also an honor to be a part of George and Elvis’ projects and I wish them luck.”
• Keith Urban: “I wrote and recorded Defying Gravity to touch upon the power of the human spirit. I had no idea that it would’ve connected in the way that it did. We saw it night after night on the Escape Together Tour and to now end the year with these nominations is pure magic.”
• Taylor Swift, to the Associated Press: “I started freaking out and jumping up and down. I honestly never would have predicted this — eight nominations! I’m ecstatic, and blown away and so, so thankful.”

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