Jamey Johnson Is Already a Grammy Winner

Jamey Johnson wants you to know that in the upcoming Grammy race, his fellow nominees are no competition -- and he's already won the award. That's because he doesn't "compete" with his buddies and feels a nomination is just as good as a win.

"I saw one write-up somewhere that said I was up for a Grammy against my friend James Otto," Johnson tells the Associated Press. When I see writing like that and the terminology that people use, it bothers me. That might fly when you're talking about an 'American Idol' competition, but I'm not 'against' any of my friends."

Johnson and Otto are both up for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. In addition to that nomination for 'In Color,' Johnson's tune is up for Best Country Song. He's also in the Best Country Album category for 'That Lonesome Song,' -- alongside albums by George Strait, Patty Loveless, Randy Travis and Trisha Yearwood.

"For us to even be nominated for those awards, I feel like we might as well have won them," says the 33-year-old, whose album was one of the most critically-acclaimed in 2008.

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards will air live this Sunday, February 8 at 8 PM ET on CBS.

In other Jamey Johnson news, it's just been announced that he will tour with one of his musical heroes, Willie Nelson, this March. He'll open for Nelson on nine separate dates in Florida, South Carolina and Mississippi.