Sturgill Simpson will perform at the 2017 Grammy Awards producers confirmed Thursday morning (2-2). Though a performance slot was pretty much assured to the upsurging country artist after his recent album A Sailor’s Guide to Earth was nominated for both Best Country Album, and the all-genre Album of the Year category, due to the non-radio and independent nature of his rise, you didn’t want to guarantee it until the news was confirmed.

Also putting into question whether Sturgill would perform or even attend is his wife is expecting the birth of their second child at right about the same time as the 2017 Grammy Awards on February 12th in Los Angeles. In an interview with The New York Times after the announcement of the Grammy nominations, Sturgill Simpson explained the situation.

“I can tell you that my wife and I have our second child on the way, due any time in the first two weeks of February,” Sturgill explains. “So this is all a little hairy. I would love to be there, but I’m not going to miss a birth for it. [Laughs]. I certainly didn’t expect to have a Country Album of the Year nomination for this record, much less to be in the Album of the Year category. I asked my wife, ‘Why do I feel scared right now?’ I don’t even know what this means. How does it affect our life, or my career? I’m just trying to avoid any completely unnecessary expectations that people might think this puts on my career going forward. I’m not going to change how I approach my art.”

Sturgill also says he was intending to take the year off, but now is reconsidering due to the renewed interest in his music. He recently announced appearances at the Forecastle Music Festival in Kentucky and the Sloss Music Festival in Alabama, both in July.

“It might be a good idea to go play some shows again, I don’t know, given how many millions of people are saying, ‘Who the [expletive] is Sturgill Simpson?’ as of this morning.”

A Grammy performance slot for Sturgill Simpson will put him on the biggest stage in all of music. What he will do with it, and what song he might perform remains to be seen. Sturgill made the most of a recent appearance on Saturday Night Live, with his shortened and frenetic version of “Call To Arms” going viral after the episode.

Other announced performers at the 2017 Grammy Awards include Little Big Town, Maren Morris with Alicia Keys, Anderson .Paak with A Tribe Called Quest and Dave Grohl, the Weeknd with Daft Punk, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban, Adele, John Legend, Bruno Mars and Metallica.

Make sure to join Saving Country Music on Grammy night for a LIVE blog of the festivities.