Reba, Jason, Darius + More Reveal Pre-Show Secrets

How do your favorite country stars stay so cool, calm and collected on stage? Some of Nashville's biggest names are revealing their own secrets for curbing nerves before a big show.

"I think about it," Reba McEntire tells Nashville's Tennessean. I can't get it out of my mind ... I just take a deep breath. That's all you can do, and just go out there and have fun."

For country veteran Randy Travis, however, ignorance is bliss. "This is a strange-sounding thing to tell anyone, but I don't think about it," he says. Years ago I finally came to that point. I don't even consider what I'm about to go do until it's literally time to walk up and do it. It's just I don't think about it. So I find that has helped me a lot."

Jason Aldean has one pre-show ritual that works for him every time. "Have a drink," he advises. "Have a little drink before the show. Not too much, but just enough to kind of take the edge off."

It's a solution CMA New Artist of the Year Darius Rucker agrees with. "I'm going to take a big shot of Jim Beam," he says whenever he feels the stage fright coming on. "That's what I'm going to do to calm my nerves. Absolutely."

Finally, newcomers Gloriana, who have already had a lot of practice in front of millions of fans, thanks to performing as the opening act on Taylor Swift's 'Fearless' tour, say they have a method that works for them - but it's top secret. "We do have a pre-show ritual that we do every night," Rachel Reinhard admits. "We all get together and say our secret word, which we can't reveal. But we just try to have as much fun as we can. We try not to take ourselves too seriously." She also adds that not being afraid to make mistakes helps keep them sane. "If we ever mess up, we just laugh it off."

Gloriana will continue the 'Fearless' tour in 2010, along with opening act Kellie Pickler. Meanwhile, Jason will also continue his 'Wide Open' tour, with opening act Luke Bryan, while Reba hits the road to tour with George Strait, along with Lee Ann Womack set to open all shows.