Darius Rucker is nominated for a CMA Award for Music Event of the Year with the legendary Lionel Richie for their duet on “Stuck on You” from his hit duets album, Tuskegee. It’s Lionel’s first-ever CMA nomination.
“I am thrilled to receive my first nomination from the CMA. I am so grateful to the country music community for embracing this project and making me feel so at home,” Richie said in a statement following the nominations announcement. “To share this nomination with my friend Darius Rucker makes it even more special. I have a CMA nomination and a friend for life. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Darius picked up his first CMA Award for New Artist of the Year in 2009. Check out the video below beginning at 4:56.
AUDIO: Darius Rucker talks about what it was like to record with his idol, Lionel Richie.
Darius Rucker (recording with Lionel Richie) OC: …he’s funny. :58“I
remember it like it was yesterday. We walked into the studio and, you know, I’d met Lionel once years ago, but it was like a one thing at a bar where we just said hey and never really talked. And so, you know, here we are, meeting one of my idols, one of the guys who I’m, why I’m sitting here, Lionel Richie…He was funny, great, telling stories. I’m a songwriter and I meet Lionel Richie, and within the first 10 minutes he asked me if I was working a lot. I was like ‘Yeah, I think I’m gonna play 210 dates this year or something.’ He’s like, ‘That reminds me of when I was in The Commodores.’ I was like, ‘Really?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, somebody brought me this 365 page book once, and it was every day of the next year for The Commodores.’ And he said, ‘You know what I did?’ And I said, ‘What?’ And he said, ‘I sat down and wrote ‘why in the world would anybody put chains on me/I paid my dues to make it/everybody wants me to be/what they want me to be.’ I realize he’s sitting there telling me the story of how he wrote ‘Easy.’ You know? And I’m like, I’m freaking out. As a songwriter I’m like, ‘Wow, this guy’s just sitting here telling me the story.’ And that’s what every time I’m with him, that’s what it’s like. He’s awesome, he’s fun, he’s funny. “
AUDIO: Darius Rucker says he was blown away by Lionel Richie’s graciousness when it came to recording their duet, “Stuck on You.”
Darius Rucker (Stuck on You) 1 OC: …was awesome. :29“H
“He said something that blew me away, most guys that do duets records, they’re doing it for themselves, and the guy who’s with him is just coming on because of your name and they want you on there and they’re gonna tell you what to sing and you do it. Lionel Richie, the first thing he said to me was, ‘So man, what part you wanna do?’ And I thought that was unbelievable. I thought, he’s asking me what I, you know. I thought I was gonna come in here and [producer] Tony Brown was gonna tell me, ‘Sing this note,’ and I was gonna say, ‘Yes sir, Mr. Brown.’ You know? But it didn’t-he came and asked me what I wanted to do. I thought that was awesome.”
AUDIO: Darius Rucker reveals what he told Lionel Richie when asked what part he wanted to sing on “Stuck on You” for the legendary performer’s duets album, Tuskegee.
Darius Rucker (Stuck on You) 2 OC: …what I do.” :10
“I wanna do your part (laughs). That’s what I told him, I’m doing your part. That’s the only part I know, I’m doing your part. I’m a lead singer man. That’s what I do.”
