Darius Rucker Campaigns for Paisley Party Tour

Darius Rucker made his New Year's resolution very early this year, and he already knows that he'll be able to carry it out.

"After Brad Paisley played on my record, I went to see his concert in my hometown of Charleston a week later," Rucker recalls. "He finished his third song, and I'm sitting next to my best friend and my wife and 140-thousand people are standing up dancing ... My friend said to me, 'This is only three songs in -- it will calm down in a little while.' An hour and a half later, people were still dancing and partying."

Rucker left the concert and immediately called his manager. "I told him 'I don't care what it costs me, I don't care what you have to do, I have to play with Brad Paisley'."

Rucker will join Paisley and Dierks Bentley on January 15 in Southaven, Miss. to kick off the winter leg of Paisley 's 'Paisley Party' tour. Crystal Shawanda joins them on the Canadian leg of the trek.

Paisley is equally excited about having Darius on the tour. "He's one of the coolest, most down-to-earth individuals I know," Paisley says of Rucker. "This is a guy who really loves country music. I've never seen anything like it. He knows its history, and he sings as well as anybody. You knew him for one thing, but when you hear his record it sounds like a perfect fit and that's a rare thing. It's a real honor to have him out and be one of the first tours where people will get to see this side of him."

Rucker can't wait to carry out his New Year's resolution. "You know, I'd pay good money to see Dierks and Brad. Just to be a part of this tour, it's very exciting for me."