Count Basie Regular to Back Keith Urban at Country Awards

When country music superstar Keith Urban takes the stage at tonight's telecast of the “American Country Awards,” one of New Jersey’s most gifted young musicians will rock with him.

Count Basie Theatre regular Michael Arrom, 18, has been chosen by the Grammy Foundation to be part of a student band it assembled to play with Urban. He and six other students from throughtout the nation were selected. 

“I’m not as nervous as I should be but a big part of the excitement is not knowing what to expect. One thing I know for sure: I’m not going to forget this one!," said Arrom, of Warren Township in Somerset County.

Arrom frequently appears at Red Bank’s Count Basie Theatre as part of the acclaimed “RockIt!” rock performance program. His participation in “RockIt!,” in which he is a peer leader, provides him and other student participants with many opportunities to perform. Arrom has been the opening act for The Marshall Tucker Band and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

A high school senior at The Pingry School in Martinsville, Arrom expects to provide Urban accompaniment on a vintage Hammond organ.

A serious piano student, he started lessons at age six. By age 10, he had taught himself a significant portion of the Billy Joel catalogue.

For the past several years, Michael has been under the tutelage of internationally-acclaimed solo recitalist Michelle Chen Kuo and is mentored by David Rosenthal, musical director and keyboardist for Billy Joel.

Music, for Arrom, is the ultimate form of expression. “It gives people a window into who I really am,” he says. “I can say with music what I can’t possibly say in words and writing.”

The American Country Awards will be broadcast from 8 to 10 p.m. on Fox.