Category Archives: Darius Rucker

As the frontman of Hootie & the Blowfish, Darius Rucker changed the face of mainstream pop/rock in the mid-’90s. songs like “Hold My Hand” and “Only Wanna Be with You” peppered Hootie & the Blowfish’s popular debut, which eventually sold over 16 million units and became one of the most successful copies of all time. Hootie & the Blowfish never revisited that meteoric success again, however, and the lineup took a break from recording after the release of Musical Chairs in 1998. Rucker used his free time wisely and launched a solo career, which allowed the vocalist to explore his rhythm & blues and country influences.

Born and raised in Charleston, SC, Rucker was exposed to the sounds of Otis Redding, Al Green, and Gladys Knight at an early age. Those rhythm & blues icons helped reputation Hootie & the Blowfish’s recordings, all of which emphasized Rucker’s soulful baritone, but it wasn’t until the singer’s solo career that he truly paid homage to the sounds of his youth. Rucker planned to jump-start his solo career with The Return of Mongo Slade, which was slated for a summer 2001 release by Atlantic Records, but contractual changes prevented the album’s release. A few months later, Rucker jumped ship for Hidden Beach Recordings, which then earned the master recordings of his debut from Atlantic.

After making a cameo in the Farrelly brothers’ movie Shallow Hal, Rucker connected his mellow, R&B-influenced style with 2002’s Back to Then, which featured collaborations with Jill Scott and Snoop Dogg. Rucker then came back his attention to Hootie & the Blowfish, releasing two units with the ensemble while the early 2000s, before revisiting his solo career. This time, he opted for a country approach, and the twangy Learn to Live found an appropriate home among country music fans (who sent both the record and its flagship single, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” to the top of the Billboard country charts).

Darius Rucker To Host ACM Golf Tournament

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Darius Rucker Will Be Hosting The ACM Lifting Lives Celebrity Golf Tournament. The Academy of Country Music announced today that Darius Rucker will host the ACM Lifting Lives Celebrity Golf Classic at TPC Las Vegas for the second consecutive year on Saturday, April 6, 2013. The ACM Lifting Lives Celebrity Golf Classic, ACM Weekend at Fremont Street Experience, ACM Party for a Cause Festival, THE ACM EXPERIENCE and more will all be taking place in conjunction with “The Week Vegas Goes Country,” leading up to the 48th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS­. The award show will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. The ACM Lifting Lives® Celebrity Golf Classic—the seventh held since 2004—brings together country music artists, record label executives and other members of the music community in a star-studded scramble tournament to raise funds and awareness for ACM Lifting Lives’ Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund, which provides immediate relief to those in need in the music industry.

Darius Rucker True Believers 2013 Tour Announced

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Award-Winning Country Star Darius Rucker Announces Dates of the True Believers Tour Featuring Special Guests Justin Moore, Rodney Atkins and Jana Kramer Capitol Records Nashville recording artist Darius Rucker is calling all ‘true believers’ to meet him out on the road this summer for his newly announced headlining tour in support of his upcoming True Believers album release this spring. The 2013 True Believers Tour kicks off on May 9th in Estero, Florida, and will work its way through more than 20 cities across the U.S. before wrapping up in Clarkston, Michigan on June 30th. Rucker will treat concert-goers to tunes from across all three of his country albums, including current critically-acclaimed single “Wagon Wheel” and any number of his five No. 1 hits like “Come Back Song,” “This,” “Alright” and more. “This is going to be an exciting summer. I’ve got an album I can’t wait for y’all to hear and I’m hitting the road with a great group of artists. We’re gonna have a good time!” -Darius Rucker Joining Rucker on select dates will be special guests RIAA platinum-selling Rodney Atkins, top-charting country singer Justin Moore, and 2013 ACM New Female Vocalist winner and New Artist of the Year nominee Jana Kramer. Rucker will be offering two pairs of tickets to each tour date through an auction on www.DariusRucker.com with proceeds benefiting both the Country Music Association’s “Keep The Music Playing” initiative and the Academy of Country Music’s “Lifting Lives” program. “Keep the Music Playing” supports music in our schools and has funded music labs and more than 4,000 instruments in 80 Nashville Metro schools. ACM “Lifting Lives” is dedicated to improving lives through the power of music – its beneficiaries include the Holston Home in East Tenn. where Atkins was adopted as a child, Pattinson’s Academy in Rucker’s hometown of Charleston, S.C., and ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp, students of which accompanied Rucker in a very special ACM Awards performance of a song written and recorded by the campers, “Music from the Heart.” Darius Rucker – True Believers Tour Dates. May 9, 2013 | Estero, Fla. | Germain Arena* May 10, 2013 | Pensacola, Fla. | Pensacola Civic Center* May 17, 2013 | Savannah, Ga. | Savannah Civic Center* May 18, 2013 | Alpharetta, Ga. | Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park* May 19, 2013 | Knoxville, Tenn. | Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum** May 24, 2013 | Little Rock, Ark. | Riverfront Park** May 30, 2013 | Greensboro, N.C. | Greensboro Coliseum Complex* May 31, 2013 | Simpsonville, S.C. | Charter Amphitheatre at Heritage Park* June 1, 2013 | Virginia Beach, Va. | Patriotic Festival* June 6, 2013 | Morrison, Colo. | Red Rocks Amphitheatre** June 9, 2013 | Grand Prairie, Texas | Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie** June 13, 2013 | N. Lawrence, Ohio | Clay’s Park Amphitheater** June 14, 2013 | Buffalo, N.Y. | Coca Cola Field+ June 15, 2013 | Baltimore, Md. | Pier Six Pavilion** June 20, 2013 | West Long Branch, Continue reading Darius Rucker True Believers 2013 Tour Announced→

Darius Rucker Wagon Wheel-New Single

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Darius Rucker Releases “Wagon Wheel” As His New Single.” Darius Rucker has released “Wagon Wheel” as his new single. The song is the follow up to “True Believers” and will be on his upcoming album, True Believers. Now this song is not new by any means…It was started by Bob Dylan and then later finished by Old Crow Medicine show. The song has become a huge hit, with practically everyone knowing the lyrics and everyone covering it. Including Rucker. Now I love a cover, but in this case I have to say I’d prefer the original. Number 1, I feel like the song isn’t old enough and way too popular for someone to already be releasing it again. Like I said, I love a cover. If Rucker played it at show, just for fun, I’d probably go crazy singing along. I’d even think wow, he’s really cool for singing that. But I also thought it was cool each time I heard numerous different people play it sitting around the fire having a few drinks… Now this is just my opinion and we want to know what YOU think! So, comment below with your thoughts on this matter.

Darius Rucker True Believers Video

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The Official Music Video For Darius Rucker’s “True Believers.” Darius Rucker’s latest single, “True Believers,” is a powerful one! It will be on his new album that is set for early 2013! Like I said, the song is a powerful one and the video really conveys that! I also really love how Rucker always is into his performance! Whether it is on a stage or in a video, he really gets with it when he sings! I love it! Y’all watch the video for “True Believers” below and tell us what you think!

Opry Inducts Darius Rucker

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Grand Ole Opry Inducts Latest Member, Darius Rucker. On October 16, Darius Rucker received his Opry Member Award, becoming the newest member of the country family. His actual family joined him backstage to add his plaque to the Opry Member Gallery at the Grand Ole Opry House. Vince Gill presented the Opry Member Award by thanking Darius: “I don’t think there’s a more beloved guy in our music than you. Before you even open your mouth and sing a song you’ve written, everybody is really crazy about you. You will find this place right here to be one of the greatest homes you’ll ever have. … Thanks for wanting to be a country music singer!” Darius thanked Vince, his family, and his fans as he gratefully accepted the honor. One of his favorite singers, Keith Urban, sent a video congratulations, but then joined Darius on the stage to personally congratulate him. They were also joined by Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino. I became a fan of the soulful, distinct Rucker voice as a fan of Hootie and the Blowfish, but I fell in love with that voice the first time I heard “All I Want.” One listen to either of his albums (Learn to Live and Charleston, SC 1966), and you’ll quickly realize why he deserves this award. Congratulations, Darius! To watch Rucker’s induction, head on over to opry.com/pressroom/darius WATCH the Official Music Video for “Alright,” a Favorite Rucker Hit:

Darius Rucker’s “Darius and Friends” Line-Up

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Darius Rucker Announces Line-Up For “Darius and Friends” Benefit! Darius Rucker is hosting his benefit “Darius and Friends” for the third year in a row, and a line-up has been announced! The benefit includes a celebrity concert, and the performers for this year include Rodney Atkins, Clint Black, Sunny Sweeney and Chuck Wicks. Rucker has also let slip that there will be “special surprise guests” as well! The benefit supports the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and it will take place on Monday, June 4th at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon, right as CMA Fest Week is kicking off! “It’s extremely important to me to grow our annual benefit for St. Jude, as I pledged to help each year with their fund-raising efforts. CMA Music Fest is a great time to host the event because we reach so many of our core fans and St. Jude supporters.” -Darius Rucker Tickets are currently available. The doors open at 6:00pm with the show beginning at 7:30pm. There will also be additional merchandise for sale include event posters and t-shirts whose funds will also be contributed to St. Jude.

CMT Artists Of The Year

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CMT Reveals Their Artists Of The Year. CMT will honor Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift and Brad Paisley as the top artists of the year. CMT Artists Of The Year will premier December 13 at 9:00pm ET/PT and will last 90 minutes. The honorees were chosen by ranking them based on the following criteria: sales (physical albums, digital albums and single downloads); country radio airplay based on spins; concert grosses as a headliner or co-headliner; and activity on cmt.com (video streams, searches, and artist page views). The rankings were then compiled to identify the leading performers across the four categories cumulatively. Congratulations to the 5 acts that will be celebrated in early December! Here is a video of Darius Rucker and Adele singing “Need You Now“, Lady Antebellum’s #1 hit at 2010’s CMT Artists Of The Year ceremony. Antebellum were 2010 winners as well as Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and the Zac Brown Band. Tags: Need You Now (with Adele) – Artists of the Year, Darius Rucker, Darius Rucker Videos

Darius Rucker I Got Nothin’ Video

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Darius Rucker’s Current Single I Got Nothin’ Music Video! Darius Rucker’s current single “I Got Nothin’” is currently #20 on Billboard’s Top 100 country charts! The emotional song is off of his sophomore album, Charleston, SC 1966, and was released earlier this summer. I find this song getting stuck in my head daily! It is a story of a difficult relationship, and for some reason I can’t help but love it. It could be his great voice or the awesome music it is set to, but something about this song pulls me in! Take a gander at Rucker’s always passionate performance in the video here!

Darius Rucker Begins First Solo Tour

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Darius Rucker Begins His First Solo U.S. Tour This Fall. Darius Rucker is currently touring the European leg of Brad Paisley‘s H2O II: Wetter and Wilder Tour. As soon as he gets back to the states though, he will be beginning his first headlining tour of the U.S.! Rucker will be joined by Rodney Atkins, Thompson Square, Frankie Ballard and Justin Moore on select dates of his tour. This is an exciting development for Rucker, and he is definitely excited! “I haven’t headlined a tour since Hootie, so to say I’m excited is an understatement. It has been such an incredible experience to tour with Paisley and Rascal Flatts, and I’ve learned a lot being on the road with them. With this tour, I’m just excited to perform again for our fans, and I’m thrilled to have Rodney, Frankie, Justin, and Thompson Square joining us.” -Darius Rucker You can check out the list of upcoming tour dates below. A complete list will be available as soon as the remaining dates are announced. Upcoming tour dates are as follows: 10/6 Glens Falls, NY w/ Rodney Atkins and Frankie Ballard 10/7 Indiana, PA w/ Rodney Atkins and Frankie Ballard 10/8 Syracuse, NY w/ Rodney Atkins and Frankie Ballard 10/20 Charlotte, NC w/ Rodney Atkins and Frankie Ballard 10/21 Raleigh, NC w/ Rodney Atkins and Frankie Ballard 10/22 Cincinnati, OH w/ Rodney Atkins and Frankie Ballard 10/23 Pikeville, KY w/ Rodney Atkins and Frankie Ballard 11/12 North Charleston, SC w/ Thompson Square and Justin Moore

Darius Rucker’s Darius and Friends Announced

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Darius Rucker Announces All-Star Line-up for Darius and Friends Concert. Darius Rucker has announced several of his fellow country music stars will be joining him on stage for the 2nd Annual benefit concert “Darius and Friends“. This line-up includes Justin Moore, Easton Corbin, Jerrod Niemann, and Rodney Atkins. “Darius and Friends” will be taking place Monday, June 6th, and just like last year, will be hosted at the Wildhorse Saloon in downtown Nashville. “The first event was so great that we wanted to keep that same theme for this year: artists coming together for a great cause.” -Darius Rucker All proceeds from the evening will go to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to aid in this institutions ongoing quest to find cures and help children who are fighting deadly diseases.