Photo Credit: NEW YORK – OCTOBER 13: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest Ed Sheeran during Thursdays October 13, 2022 show. (Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)

 

Ed Sheeran will be playing the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards in Frisco, Texas tonight. Though it was only announced a couple of days ago, his appearance has been in the works for a few weeks.

 

Apparently an unrevealed artist invited him to play together. The artist, and what they will be performing together, are still a secret. But Sheeran will be playing “Life Goes On,” from his new album – (Subtract).

 

He said to Billlboard while backstage at the ACM rehearsal:

“I talk about this to my wife all the time. I would love to transition into country…I love the culture of it, I just love the songwriting. It’s just like brilliant songs.”

Sheeran considers himself a major country music fan. He’s lived in Nashville before, and he loved it.

 

“It’s like a community. There’s not really a place in Europe where you could point and say, ‘That’s the home of songwriting,’… It’s not just for country music. Nashville is just a hub of incredible songwriters, incredible performers. And I really felt inspired just being there being around everyone.”

 

He has Taylor Swift to thank for turning him on to country music- saying he never really listened growing up, but Taylor Swift’s Red Tour and living in Nashville for a short time changed that. Now he says him and his wife listen to country radio all day, every day.