Ty Herndon was totally unprepared when he received a Grammy award nomination in the Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album category for his album, 'Journey On.'

"I was completely satisfied that it won the Dove award," Ty tells The Boot of the honor for Bluegrass Recorded Song for the tune 'When We Fly,' a duet with vocalist and fiddler Lizzy Long. "I hate grocery shopping ... but it was 10:30 at night and I was in East Nashville at Kroger. A buddy texted me and said, 'Congratulations on your Grammy nomination!"

Ty, thinking the text was a joke, asked his friend to send a screen shot confirming the news. When he received it, Ty found himself a bit rattled.

"I didn't know what to do," says the singer. "I thought, 'I need to call some people, so I have to get out to my truck.'"

But halfway to the parking lot, Ty realized he needed the groceries in his cart and didn't want to return to shop the next day. So he returned to the store, retrieved his cart, finished shopping, and went to check out. When the cashier teased Ty about the bemused expression he wore, he told her, "I just got nominated for a Grammy." After letting out a little whoop, the cashier responded, "Honey, what are you doing up in the Kroger, then?"

When he got home, Ty called his mother and then dialed several friends, mainly on the West Coast because it was so late.

"I didn't sleep much that night," says Ty. "We didn't have a lot of money [to make this album]. I've been running on a lot of faith and grass-roots [support] and creativity. Every little thing that has happened has really meant a lot."

The Grammy award winners will be announced February 13, 2011.

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