Darius Rucker Biography

A veteran of Hootie & the Blowfish, Darius Rucker explores his roots in R&B & Country for a unique, soulful sound.

Darius Rucker: Rockin’ with Hootie
Born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Darius Rucker was influenced by R&B legends Otis Redding, Al Green, and Empress of Soul Gladys Knight while growing up. Darius Rucker showcased his soulful baritone voice as the frontman for the wildly successful Pop-Rock band Hootie & the Blowfish in the mid-1990s, a time when Hootie & the Blowfish hits “Hold My Hand” and “Only Wanna Be with You” rocked the radio airwaves and helped sell concert tickets with ease.

Darius Rucker: Flying Solo
Subsequent Hootie & the Blowfish albums couldn’t match the success of their debut album, leading the band to take a break after the release of the 1998 album Musical Chairs. During the brief hiatus, Darius Rucker would fly solo and explored some of the R&B influences that he grew up on. In 2001, Darius Rucker was on the brink of releasing his solo debut The Return of Mongo Slade under Atlantic Records, but contractual changes would stifle the album’s release.

As a result, Darius Rucker joined forces with the indie label Hidden Beach Recordings, which then acquired the master recordings from Atlantic Records. In July 2002, Darius Rucker released his debut solo album, now titled Back to Then. The album boasted a mellow, R&B style and featured the likes of Snoop Dogg and Jill Scott. In the early 2000s, Darius Rucker returned to the recording studio with Hootie & the Blowfish bandmates to release a couple of albums and continue to tour. Darius Rucker and the band sold tickets just like old times.

Darius Rucker: Country-fied
Early in 2008, Darius Rucker signed with Capitol Records Nashville and tried his hand at Country music. His soulful baritone voice was right at home in the Country-music scene as his first solo single “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” debuted at the No. 51 spot on the Country charts. The single reached Top 20 status in July 2008, making Darius Rucker the first African-American artist to do so since Charley Bride did so in 1983 with “Night Games.”

In August 2008, Darius Rucker and Hootie & the Blowfish parted ways so that Darius Rucker could continue to focus on his solo career. Shortly afterward, Darius Rucker’s album Learn to Live dropped, eventually peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. The second single off of Learn to Live would be “It Won’t Be Like this for Long” and is already beginning its ascent up the Country charts. Fans are sure to be touched by the lyrics of “It Won’t Be Like this for Long.”

Darius Rucker: On Tour
As Darius Rucker’s career in Country music continues to skyrocket, fans are already clamoring for tickets anywhere they can find them. Darius Rucker will join the CMA Vocalist of the Year winner, Brad Paisley, during The Paisley Party tour dates in 2009. One of the biggest shows Darius Rucker will play will be deep in the heart of Texas at the 2009 Houston Rodeo. Don’t miss this burgeoning Country star when you order premium Darius Rucker tickets from OnlineTickets.com today!

Darius Rucker: Learn to Live Songs

• “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It”
• “It Won’t Be Like This for Long”
• “Forever Road”
• “Be Wary of a Woman”
• “All I Want”
• “Alright”
• “I Hope They Get to Me in Time”
• “Learn to Live”
• “History in the Making”
• “If I Had Wings”
• “Drinkin’ and Dailin’”
• “While I Still Got the Time”