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Darius Rucker Toasts "If I Told You" at Nashville's New Topgolf

Delivers Live Preview of 'When Was the Last Time'

On Thursday (Sept. 21), Darius Rucker and his record label Capitol Nashville hosted several members of the Music Row community at the city's new Topgolf to celebrate the three-time Grammy winner's seventh country No. 1 "If I Told You."

Written by Ross Copperman, Shane McAnally and Jon Nite, "If I Told You" is the first hit from Rucker's fifth country album, When Was the Last Time, which arrives Oct. 20.

If I Told You (Official Video) by Darius Rucker on VEVO.

Rucker is an avid golf fan so the music venue inside the new upscale driving range was the perfect location to celebrate his latest hit.

While partygoers noshed on a buffet of cheese boards, oversized cocktail shrimp and more, Copperman, McAnally, Nite and Rucker each took turns in the spotlight to thank those who helped the song go No. 1 after a 48-week climb up Billboard's country airplay chart.

Nite thanked his wife for her support and joked that she has been dealing with the song's subject matter throughout their 20 years of knowing each another.

Copperman, who produced When Was the Last Time, called Rucker one of country music's most "humble and kind" artists and said it was an honor to work with him.

McAnally said it was an honor to have Rucker sing any of his songs, "especially one that was a single -- finally."

"These days we can have everything so fast," McAnally said. "And the melody and the track of this performance sort of gave you the impression that you didn't even need to listen to the words because it sounds so catchy ... It's a strange mix of ear candy with hardcore lyrics and things that really matter to all of us and clearly to other people."

When it was Rucker's turn to speak, he alluded to the fact that he caught lightning in a bottle twice by enjoying a successful country career after Hootie & the Blowfish hits dominated the radio in the '90s. He thanked Capitol Nashville for believing in his art as a crossover act.

"I'm a 51-year-old dude," Rucker said. "I'm old. And you still think I've got enough to be relevant for a long time, and I can't believe you believe in me that way.

"When we signed, I knew for a fact that there was nobody else in this town that would have given me a record deal. And all those people now that go, 'You didn't give me a chance to sign you.' I look them in the eye and I say, 'Forgive my French but you would have never [expletive] signed me -- the pop black guy from Hootie & the Blowfish, making a country record.'

"No. 1s never get old. And I want to say thank you to everybody who had something to do with that."

After the party, Rucker and his band hit the stage for a live preview of five songs from When Was the Last Time. The set list included "Don't," "Count the Beers," "Another Night with You," "Twenty Something" and "Hands on Me." He closed the party with his Grammy-winning hit "Wagon Wheel" and some swings at some golf balls on the driving range.

Here is the complete track listing and songwriter information for When Was the Last Time:

1. "For the First Time" (Rucker, Derek George, Scooter Carusoe)

2. "Bring It On" (Copperman, Ashley Gorley, Dallas Davidson)

3. "Life's Too Short" (Copperman, Nite, Jaren Johnston)

4. "If I Told You" (Copperman, McAnally, Nite)

5. "Don't" (Adam Doleac, A.J. Babcock, Pete Good)

6. "Twenty Something" (McAnally, Nite, Zach Crowell, Josh Osborne)

7. "Straight to Hell" with Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Charles Kelley (Kevin Kinney)

8. "Count the Beers" (Rucker, Dean Dillon, Josh Thompson)

9. "Another Night With You" (Rucker, Dillon, Thompson)

10. "Hands On Me" (Copperman, McAnally, J.T. Harding)

11. "She" (Chris Tompkins, Rodney Clawson)

12. "Story to Tell" (Copperman, Gorley, Rucker)

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