Darius Rucker

Artist Image: Darius Rucker
Attribution
Image Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Val Gempis (USAF photo archive), Public domain

Biography

Darius Rucker (born May 13, 1966) is an American musician. He first gained fame as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, which he founded in 1986 at the University of South Carolina along with Mark Bryan, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld and Dean Felber. The band has released five studio albums with him as a member, and charted six top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Rucker co-wrote the majority of the band's songs with the other three members. He released a solo R&B album, Back to Then, in 2002 on Hidden Beach Recordings but did not chart any singles from it. Six years later, Rucker signed to Capitol Records Nashville as a country music artist, releasing the album Learn to Live that year. Its first single, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It", made him the first African American to chart a number one on the Hot Country Songs charts since Charley Pride in 1983. It was followed by two more number-one singles, "It Won't Be Like This for Long" and "Alright" and the number three "History in the Making". In 2009, he became the first African American to win the New Artist Award from the Country Music Association, and only the second African American to win any award from the association. A second Capitol album, Charleston, SC 1966, was released on October 12, 2010. The album includes the number-one singles "Come Back Song" and "This".

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 2002
Number of Albums 15
Record Label Capitol Records
Website
Wikipedia Darius Rucker on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

Who is the lead singer and guitarist of Hootie & the Blowfish?

Darius C. Rucker

... Darius C. Rucker is an American musician who first gained fame as the lead singer and guitarist of the band Hootie & the Blowfish, and next for his tr...
What was Rucker's mother's job?

nurse

...with financial difficulties. He was raised by his mother who worked as a nurse , and his maternal grandmother. Rucker first started singing in his loca...
Who raised Rucker?

his mother who worked as a nurse, and his maternal grandmother

...th financial difficulties. He was raised by his mother who worked as a nurse, and his maternal grandmother . Rucker first started singing in his local ...
Where did Rucker form a duo with Mark Bryan?

University of South Carolina

...k of it as a serious career until he went to college. At the University of South Carolina , he first formed a duo with fellow student Mark Bryan who wa...
What was Soni's better known nickname?

Jim Sonefeld

...ocal venues. They later added two new members to the group, that is, Jim Sonefeld (better known as Soni), and Dean Felber. They formed a band by the n...
What was the name of the band that worked the college fraternity crowd before launching their own mainstream albums?

Hootie & the Blowfish

...own as Soni), and Dean Felber. They formed a band by the name of Hootie & the Blowfish and worked the college fraternity crowd before launching their ...
How many studio albums has Rucker recorded as a member of Hootie & the Blowfish?

five

...stream albums. As a member of Hootie & the Blowfish, Rucker has recorded five studio albums namely Cracked Rear View, Fairweather Johnson, Musical Cha...
Musical Chairs, Hootie & the Blowfish and Looking for Lucky reached the top 40 of what chart six times?

Billboard Hot 100

...ar View, Fairweather Johnson, Musical Chairs, Hootie & the Blowfish and Looking for Lucky which reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 six times....
What year was Darius Carlos Rucker born?

1966

...Darius Carlos Rucker (born May 13, 1966 ) is an American singer and songwriter. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of rock ...
How many top 40 hits did the band chart on the Billboard Hot 100?

six

... The band released five studio albums with Rucker as a member and charted six top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Rucker cowrote most of the songs w...
What was the name of Rucker's solo R&B album?

Back to Then

...gs with the other members of the band. He released a solo R&B album, Back to Then in 2002 on Hidden Beach Recordings but no singles from it charted. S...
What label did Rucker sign to as a country music singer?

Capitol Nashville

... but no singles from it charted. Six years later, Rucker signed to Capitol Nashville as a country music singer, releasing the album, Learn to Live tha...
How many years after Rucker signed to Capitol Nashville did he release Learn to Live?

Six

...o Then in 2002 on Hidden Beach Recordings but no singles from it charted. Six years later, Rucker signed to Capitol Nashville as a country music singe...
Who was the first Black artist to reach number one on the Hot Country Songs charts?

Charley Pride

...ack artist to reach number one on the Hot Country Songs charts since Charley Pride in 1983. (Ray Charles hit number one in March 1985 in a duet with W...
When did Darius Rucker's band Hootie & The Blowfish break into the mainstream?

1994

...In 1994 , Darius Ruckers band Hootie & The Blowfish broke into the mainstream with Cracked Rear View. Rucker went on to a successful solo career as a c...
What was Ruckers name?

Darius

...In 1994, Darius Ruckers band Hootie & The Blowfish broke into the mainstream with Cracked Rear View. Rucker went on to a successful solo career as a c...
How did Rucker describe his childhood?

a typical Southern AfricanAmerican upbringing

...usic artist. Rucker later described his childhood as a typical Southern AfricanAmerican upbringing , involving long hours at church on Sundays and endu...
How many bedrooms did the Rucker family share?

three

...her, two aunts, maternal grandmother and 14 children lived together in a three bedroom apartment. The Rucker family was very musical, and Darius freque...
What was Rucker's musical duo called?

Wolf Brothers

...r, Rucker began forming musical ambitions. He formed the musical duo Wolf Brothers with friend Brian, and eventually convinced Felber to also join the...
Who was the duo Rucker formed with?

Brian

...g musical ambitions. He formed the musical duo Wolf Brothers with friend Brian , and eventually convinced Felber to also join them. In 1986, the trio f...
Who was the frontman of the band?

Darius Ruckers

...In 1994, Darius Ruckers band Hootie & The Blowfish broke into the mainstream with Cracked Rear View. Rucker went on to a successful solo career as a c...
How many consecutive albums did Rucker release to top the Billboard Country albums chart?

four

... reintroduced himself to the world as a country artist where he released four consecutive albums to top the Billboard Country albums chart. Ruckers fi...
Who co-wrote Homegrown Honey?

Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum and Nathan Chapman

...Homegrown Honey, cowritten by Ruckers label mate Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum and Nathan Chapman . When Was The Last Time (his 5th studio album) a...
What was the name of the single mother of Darius Rucker?

Carolyn

...s born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. He was raised by his single mother, Carolyn , who was a nurse at Medical University of South Carolina....
Darius Rucker is one of only a handful of rock musicians to cross over to what genre?

country

...im have. He is one of only a handful of rock musicians to cross over to country successfully and currently the only one whos elected to stay there and...
What was the name of Hootie & the Blowfish's first LP?

Cracked Rear View

...ccess on the road, Hootie & the Blowfish exploded; their first LP, Cracked Rear View (1994), skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and is now the...
When did Rucker announce that Hootie & the Blowfish would be taking a break?

2008

...rtunities, like singing the national anthem at the 1995 World Series. In 2008 , Rucker announced that Hootie & the Blowfish would be taking a break. La...
What was Rucker's first country debut?

Learn to Live

...aking a break. Later that year, he released his first country debut, Learn to Live (Capitol Records). Its lead single, Dont Think I Dont Think About I...
What year was Night Games released?

1983

...Think About It, climbed to No. 1 on the country charts the first time a black artist had held that spot since Charley Pride, with Night Games in 1983 ....
Where did the singer grow up?

Charleston, South Carolina

...nger to explore his R&B and country influences. Growing up in Charleston, South Carolina , Rucker was exposed to the sounds of Otis Redding, Al Green, ...
Who was Rucker exposed to at an early age?

Otis Redding, Al Green, and Gladys Knight

...n, South Carolina, Rucker was exposed to the sounds of Otis Redding, Al Green, and Gladys Knight at an early age. He initially planned to launch his s...
What film did Rucker make a cameo in?

Shallow Hal

... album's release. After making a cameo in the Farrelly brothers' film Shallow Hal , Rucker introduced his mellow, R&Binfluenced music with 2002's Back ...
What was the name of Rucker's follow-up LP?

Charleston, SC 1966

...e. Rucker smartly stayed in the country mold for his followup LP, Charleston, SC 1966 , which appeared in fall 2010; it also spawned two number one sin...
What was the name of the soft rockpop band that Darius was a lead singer in?

Hootie & The Blowfish

... threesome to join them as a lead singer in a soft rockpop band, Hootie & The Blowfish . However, eight years later, Darius announced that the band wou...
How many years after Darius announced that the band would take the break from the road and the recording, what did he decide to do?

started a solo career

...he road. Having more spare time, Darius used his time wisely and started a solo career . Unfortunately, his debut album titled The Return of Mongo Slad...
In what year was the release of his first solo album delayed?

2001

...led The Return of Mongo Slade, that was originally slated for release in 2001 , had to be permanently shelved due to contractual issues with his label,...
When did Darius release his solo album?

2002

... paid off when his solo album, Back to Then was dropped to the market in 2002 . Featuring Jill Scott and Snoop Dogg, the album peaked at number one in ...
Who accompanied Darius on the album Back to Then?

Jill Scott and Snoop Dogg

...bum, Back to Then was dropped to the market in 2002. Featuring Jill Scott and Snoop Dogg , the album peaked at number one in Hot Seekers chart and reac...
Where did the album peak in Hot Seekers chart?

number one

...ket in 2002. Featuring Jill Scott and Snoop Dogg, the album peaked at number one in Hot Seekers chart and reached at number 43 in U.S. R&B chart. Afte...
At what number did Back to then reach in the US R&B charts?

43

...the album peaked at number one in Hot Seekers chart and reached at number 43 in U.S. R&B chart. After a sixyear hiatus, Darius appears in the recordin...
What type of sound does Darius change his direction from?

poprock

...ng a new concept for his sophomore album. He changes his direction from poprock sound to country tune. His first single off his upcoming album is cowr...
Who co-wrote the first single off his upcoming album with Darius?

Clay Mills

...anges his direction from poprock sound to country tune. His first single off his upcoming album is cowritten by himself with the help from Clay Mills ....
What studio did he sign to in 2008?

Capitol Records Nashville

...dy of Big Rock Candy Mountain. In early 2008, Rucker signed to Capitol Records Nashville as the beginning of a career in country music. For this album...
What was the first single from his first country album?

Don't Think I Don't Think About It

...d to Capitol Nashville and charted his first solo single, Don't Think I Don't Think About It , the first single from his first country album Learn to L...
Who were his fellow band members while attending the University of South Carolina?

Mark Bryan, Jim Soni Sonefeld, and Dean Felber

...ry album Learn to Live. He met fellow band members, Mark Bryan, Jim Soni Sonefeld, and Dean Felber , while attending the University of South Carolina. ...
Why was the album never released by Atlantic Records?

contractual changes

... album The Return of Mongo Slade for Atlantic Records. Because of contractual changes , it was never released by the label. Rucker also portrayed a sin...
Who did Rucker portray in a Burger King commercial?

a singing cowboy

...changes, it was never released by the label. Rucker also portrayed a singing cowboy in a television commercial for the fast food chain Burger King, pr...
What sandwich did Burger King promote in 2005?

TenderCrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch

...ercial for the fast food chain Burger King, promoting their TenderCrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch sandwich in 2005; in the commercial, he sang a parody of B...
Who did Rucker work with on his debut album?

Frank Rogers

...ing of a career in country music. For this album, Rucker worked with Frank Rogers , a record producer who has also produced for Brad Paisley and Trace ...
When did the single "Grand Ole Opry" reach number one?

September

...is Grand Ole Opry debut in July 2008. The single reached number one in September , making Rucker the first solo, AfricanAmerican artist to chart a numb...