Darius Rucker and John Mellencamp Team Up for ‘CMT Crossroads’

“Oh, that’s the hard thing for me is to not be out there fanboying the whole time and freaking out that I’m actually on stage with someone like John," Rucker admits.

Written by Kelly Brickey
Darius Rucker and John Mellencamp Team Up for ‘CMT Crossroads’
John Mellencamp and Darius Rucker; Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for CMT

Although Darius Rucker has made his rounds in the music industry over the past couple decades, he still couldn’t contain his pure excitement when it came to joining rocker John Mellencamp for CMT Crossroads.

The country singer ruled the 90s with his rock band, Hootie and the Blowfish, and Mellencamp made pink houses a national sensation back in the 1980s. Put the two legends together and their American rock-country vibes create the classic view of what the heartland represents.

Just as anyone would though, Rucker got jitters around one of his fellow artists and musical hero every time they started to perform together.

“Oh, that’s the hard thing for me is to not be out there fanboying the whole time and freaking out that I’m actually on stage with someone like John. We were in rehearsals and he’s singing those songs, and I mean, I keep forgetting that I was supposed to sing too, because I just wanted to sit back and listen,” Rucker admitted about the CMT collaboration.

CMT Crossroads is known for bringing incredible artists together for performances that heighten every track they play during the show. From getting soulful with Alicia Keys and Maren Morris to the funky vibes that Thomas Rhett and Nick Jonas gave off, crossing musical paths makes for special moments that fans can hold on to throughout each show.

The Rucker-Mellencamp episode of CMT Crossroads airs on Friday, March 24, at 10 p.m. ET on CMT. Check out a sneak peek above.