Stars rehearse for Grammy nominations special
- The Grammy nomination special airs tonight at 10 ET/PT on CBS
- Taylor Swift and LL Cool J co-host the concert
- Several pop, hip-hop and country stars are set to take the stage
NASHVILLE — Two days of rehearsals for the Grammy Nominations Concert Live! began Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena to prepare for tonight's live broadcast at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
Pop-rock hitmakers fun. hit the stage first to run through a delicate, orchestral arrangement of their breakthrough hit, We Are Young, replacing its heavy beat with small string and brass sections. The song's guest artist, Janelle Monae, wasn't on hand for rehearsals, but will perform with the group on tonight's show.
Also scheduled to rehearse were Maroon 5 (sans frontman Adam Levine, who was taping a live episode of The Voice) Luke Bryan, Ne-Yo and LL Cool J, who is co-hosting the show with Taylor Swift. The show's country stars — Dierks Bentley, The Band Perry and Hunter Hayes — were set to go over their spots early today.
They won't be performing, but several other music stars have been added to the lineup as presenters: Sheryl Crow, Little Big Town, The Lumineers and Nas.
Hayes was one of the final performers announced for the Grammys concert. At 21, he's also the youngest. The rising country star says it was a thrill to see his name added to the lineup of hitmakers and rock and roll legends.
"They announced me with a couple of people, one of which was The Who," Hayes says with a laugh. He has been going in and out of Nashville this week as he balances his appearance with his current tour dates with Carrie Underwood.
Hayes' performance will help cap off a landmark year for the Louisiana native, which saw him win the new artist of the year award at last month's CMAs and chart his first No. 1 with Wanted.
"This is where I've always wanted to be," he said. "And this is the realization of all of these things that I've been drawing at on the corners of my notebooks for years in high school and middle school."