Rattlin' Bones 'may have caused divorce'

Singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers jokes that her collaboration with husband Shane Nicholson could easily have ended in divorce.

Thankfully things went the other way with their efforts resulting in the ARIA Award-winning album Rattlin' Bones, also nominated for Album of the Year at the Golden Guitars in Tamworth on Saturday night.

Both Chambers and Nicholson say they enjoyed working creatively together, having had a desire for years to collaborate.

"I think we surprised each other actually how well we got along, especially in the songwriting side of things," Chambers says.

"It's very creative and we both love working on our own when it comes to songwriting.

"We kind of thought it would end in an album or a divorce.

"We had a few blues in the studio ... I was right about all of them," she quips.

Touring together has its perks too, Chambers says.

"It's cheaper for accommodation because we share a room, so that's a good incentive," she says.

Rattlin' Bones draws on the bluegrass and hillbilly sounds of country music's origins.

On its release in April last year, the album debuted at No 1 on the ARIA album charts and is currently at number two on the country chart.

The duo is also nominated for APRA Song of the Year, Group or Duo of the Year, Single of the Year and Video Clip of the Year at the Golden Guitars.

Nicholson says he didn't expect the album to be so successful because its sound was unlike any of their previous solo work.

"It was a labour of love, we had no expectation at all on this record," he says.

"Even once it was finished I think I had even less expectation because it was the most uncommercial thing either of us have ever worked on.

"So we were obviously hugely surprised by the reaction to the record."

The couple, who live on the NSW Central Coast, initially thought recording together would be a one-off, but Nicholson says they feel compelled to continue.

"There's no way we couldn't do it again, it works for both of us," he says.

"I get to have her name on the front of my record and she gets to have my songs on her's."