Darius Rucker Reminisces About First CMA Nominations: 'It Was The First Clue That I Was Really Being Accepted'

With the CMA Awards fast approaching, "Wagon Wheel" singer Darius Rucker looked back on his first two nominations (in 2009 for Male Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year).

"When I got nominated for the first time, it was that first clue that I was really being accepted into the genre," Rucker told The Boot. "Country music was really accepting of who I was and what I was doing. That was huge for me. When I won that Best New Artist at the CMAs, I still remember that like it was yesterday. That was one of the greatest moments of my musical life."

Rucker is not nominated for any awards this year, but that could change in 2015 thanks to his recent single "Homegrown Honey."

"It's a little different for me," Rucker told Rolling Stone. "It's not one of those family songs - it's really a country party song. It's talking about some country girl who lives in New York City. It's got hooks galore."

Right now, Rucker is also focused on his True Believers Tour, which runs through November.

"It's a fun setlist," he told AL.com. "I got so many songs to choose from and you basically just explained it. We play some album tracks, of course all the number ones we play and we play a few Hootie songs because I think I'd be ripping people off if I didn't play a few Hootie songs and then some cool covers. I'm still just a singer in a cover band that got really lucky so I'm always going to play covers and just have a blast with it."

Here are the remaining dates:

09/27: Hamilton, ON @ Tim Hortons Field

10/03: Charlotte, NC @ The Uptown Amphitheatre at The Music Factory

10/04: Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live

10/05: Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park

10/15: Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Expo and State Fair

10/17: Austin, TX @ ACL Live - The Moody Theater

10/18: Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint

11/09: Amsterdam, NETH @ Melkweg

11/10: Hamburg, GER @ Gruenspan

11/12: Berlin, GER @ C-Club

11/13: Munich, GER @ Theatrefabrik

11/18: London, UK @ O2 Sheperds Bush Empire

11/19: Wolverhampton, UK @ Wulfrun Hall

11/20: Manchester, UK @ Ritz

11/22: Glasgow, UK @ O2 ABC Glasgow

11/23: Dublin, IRE @ Vicar Street

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