Darius Rucker Is ‘Very Nervous’ About Co-Hosting the 2020 CMA Awards With Reba McEntire

Darius Rucker has admitted to some nerves surrounding his hosting of the 2020 CMA Awards alongside Reba McEntire -- but, really, who wouldn't be nervous with that gig?

After all, the legendary country icon has a history hosting the show, including co-hosting last year's CMA Awards with Carrie Underwood and Dolly Parton. Before that, the hosting team of Brad Paisley and Underwood ran the show for 10 years.

Now, it's Rucker's turn to emcee the proceedings along with McEntire. No doubt, the Hootie and the Blowfish singer-turned-solo country crooner has some big shoes to fill, but TV's Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest did their best to assuage Rucker's nerves when the musician video-phoned into Live With Kelly and Ryan on Wednesday (Nov. 4).

Voicing her own sense of nervousness when it comes to hosting shows outside of Live, Ripa asked the singer if he feels the same.

"I was very nervous, 'cause I've never done anything like that before," Rucker responded. "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.'"

Unlike the recent 2020 ACM Awards, which saw performers and presenters spread out at multiple locations because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 CMAs will find all involved with the show in one place. It's a fact Rucker says is due to some stringent distancing guidelines.

"Yeah, we're really proud — and I'm really excited and just blown away — about the social distancing and how careful everyone has been," he explains. "But 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."

Will Rucker also be performing at the CMA Awards this year? You bet!The musician says he's "lucky" to "get to do something really special with McEntire.

"We've got something that we're really excited about — and, no, I can't tell you [what it is]. And I'm also gonna do a thing with Lady A, we're gonna do [Rucker's own] "Beers and Sunshine.""

The 2020 CMA Awards are scheduled to take place on Nov. 11 and will air live from Nashville on ABC beginning at 8PM ET. Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the show will be hosted at Nashville's Music City Center, not Bridgestone Arena as is customary, and there will be no live audience.

The Boot will be staying up late covering the most buzzed-about winners, fashion and moments at the 2020 CMA Awards. Readers can watch along with us by checking back to TheBoot.com for the latest CMAs headlines, liking The Boot on Facebook and following The Boot on Twitter.