Darius Rucker wins New Artist of the Year at "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards," on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009, live from the Sommet Center in Nashville on the ABC Television Network. Photographer: Donn Jones / CMA.

He generated four hits from his first country album, Learn To Live, and now Darius Rucker is working diligently on his second project for the genre — this time with the Country Music Association’s New Artist of the Year award on his mantel.

Having set commercial expectations high with the last release, it would make make plenty of sense for Darius to be feeling a certain amount of pressure, an idea that he dismisses.

“We have already recorded a couple of sessions for the new album, and I feel the opposite of that,” he told The Toledo Free Press. “With the first album we felt all kinds of pressure because we did not know what was going to happen; now, all we have to do is deliver the songs, and radio is probably going to play it. It’s up to us to come up with the great songs. I feel more relaxed in the studio this time.”

Tour buddies Rascal Flatts make a guest appearance on the follow-up, which includes a song Darius co-wrote with “American Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi. But compared to the intensity involved in recording with Hootie + The Blowfish, who sold 16 million copies of their pop album Cracked Rear View in the ‘90s, making country music in Nashville is a low-stress affair.

“When we recorded the Hootie albums, we went in for six weeks or so and made the record,” he said. Working in Music City, “I do a couple of days [in Nashville], then go back and work on vocals and new tracks a couple of weeks later. The only time I wish I didn’t live in Charleston is when I am in Nashville recording.”

No release date has yet been established for the album. Darius resumes the American Living Unstoppable Tour with Rascal Flatts Friday in Uncasville, Conn.

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