Lionel Richie ‘Thrilled’ and ‘Grateful’ for First Ever CMA Nomination; Darius Rucker ‘Honored’

Lionel Richie has won plenty of awards in his legendary career. Grammy’s, Oscars, Golden Globes…just about every prestigious accolade you can think of, Lionel has won it. With one exception, but that could all change at this year’s CMA Awards in November.

Richie made a splash in the country music genre, and wowed critics with his ‘Tuskegee’ release in March. The CD features reworked versions of classic Lionel Richie songs, all sung as duets, and most of them top notch country music singers. Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts and Shania Twain are among those featured, but the CMA nomination came as a result of ‘Stuck On You’, performed with Darius Rucker. It falls under the Music Event of the Year category. So how does Lionel feel? His statement says it all:

“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…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."

Rucker, who has also won two Grammy’s, as well as American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards with his old rock band Hootie and the Blowfish, won his only CMA Award in 2009 as Best New Artist of the Year. He was equally excited to hear the news of his nomination, stating, “I was so honored to have sung with Lionel and am overjoyed with this nomination.”

There’s stiff competition in the Music Event of the Year category, as Lionel and Darius are up against Alan Jackson and the Zac Brown Band for ‘Dixie Highway’, Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw for ‘Feel Like A Rock Star’, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Snoop Dogg and Jamey Johnson for ‘Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die’, and Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars for ‘Safe And Sound’.

Lionel will find out the rest of us if they win at the CMA Awards on November 1. The event will be broadcast live on ABC television.

Here's Darius and Lionel performing 'Stuck On You' on CBS in April, with a short interview talking about how they came together to work on the song: