Darius Rucker Is ‘Very Nervous’ to Host CMA Awards With Reba McEntire

Darius Rucker will be co-hosting the CMA Awards for the first time this year, helming the show alongside Reba McEntire. During an appearance on Live With Kelly and Ryan this week, Rucker opened up about his new gig, sharing that he was “very nervous” when he got the call.

“I was very nervous, ’cause I’ve never done anything like that before,” he said. “And it’s funny because my manager called me and said, you know, ‘Are you sitting down?’ And so my first thought was, ‘Oh, goodness.’”

Rucker also shared a few details about the show itself, revealing that the performers and the nominees will be in attendance in a socially distanced fashion. “We’re really proud — and I’m really excited and just blown away — about the social distancing and how careful everyone has been,” he said. “All the performers will be there; the nominees will be there. Everybody will be social-distanced and spread out. It’ll be the first time, really, that the country music family’s been in one room all year.”

The South Caroline native will perform twice during the show — once with McEntire and a second time to share his new single, “Beers and Sunshine,” where he’ll be joined by Lady A.

“I’m lucky, I get to do something really special with Reba. We’ve got something that we’re really excited about — and, no, I can’t tell you [what it is],” Rucker joked. “And I’m also gonna do a thing with Lady A, we’re gonna do ‘Beers and Sunshine.’”

Other performers include Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen, Ingrid Andress, Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber, Jenee Fleenor, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce and Lee Brice, Keith Urban, Morgan Wallen, Gabby Barrett and Charlie Puth, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert, McBryde, Maren Morris, Rascal Flatts and McEntire with Thomas Rhett, Urban, Hillary Scott and Chris Tomlin.

This will be McEntire’s fifth time overall serving as host and Rucker’s first. “I look forward to the CMA Awards every year because of the incredible performances and the opportunity to celebrate the year in Country Music,” Rucker previously said in a statement. “To be invited to host this year’s awards alongside Reba — are you kidding me?! — it is an absolute honor. Even though this year will look a little different than normal, I know that we’re all eager for a night of musical celebration, and this year’s show definitely won’t disappoint!”

The 2020 CMA Awards will air Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. See all of this year’s nominees here. For more on the CMA Awards, all things country music and your favorite stars, keep it locked to PopCulture.com!