Darius Rucker

At 58 years old, Darius Rucker has this physical status:

Darius Carlos Rucker (born May 13, 1966) is an American singer and songwriter.

He first appeared as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, which he founded in 1986 at the University of South Carolina with Mark Bryan, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, and Dean Felber.

He recorded five studio albums as a member and charted six top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including him as a member.

Rucker co-wrote most of the songs with the other members. Back to Then, a solo R&B album on Hidden Beach Recordings, was released in 2002, but no singles from it charted.

Rucker enrolled as a country music performer in Capitol Nashville six years ago, releasing the album, Learn to Live that year.

"Don't Think About It," his first black artist to debut on the Hot Country Songs charts since Charley Pride in 1983.

(Ray Charles debuted in March 1985, beating Willie Nelson with "Seven Spanish Angels" as a pair.) "It Won't Be Like This for Long" and "Alright" were followed by two more number one singles, "It Won't Be Like This for Long" and "Alright" and "History in the Making" were the next two hits.

He was the first black American to win the Country Music Association's New Artist Award in 2009, and the second black person to receive any award from the association.

On October 12, 2010, Charleston, SC, 1966, was released for a second album.

"Come Back Song" and "This" are two of the album's top singles, as well as "This."

Early life

Rucker was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. Carolyn, a nurse at Medical University of South Carolina, raised him with his three sisters and two brothers. According to Rucker, his father was never around, and Rucker saw him only before church on Sundays. His father was in The Traveling Echoes, a gospel band. Rucker has claimed that he had a typical Southern African-American upbringing. His family attended Sunday and was financially poor, and his mother, two sisters, his grandmother, and 14 children were all living in a three-bedroom house at one point. However, he claims he has fond memories of his childhood. L'Corine, his brother, recalled that singing had always been his dream.

Personal life

Rucker is a diehard South Carolina Gamecocks fan as well as a Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Reds fan. Stir Crazy, which he has seen more than 100 times, is also a fan of the film Stir Crazy.

Rucker's mother died of a heart attack in November 1992. "I'm Goin' Home" and "Not Even the Trees" were two Hootie & the Blowfish songs influenced his grief. Carolyn Pearl Phillips, Rucker's first child, was born on April 21, 1995, his mother (Elizabeth Ann Phillips) gave birth to Rucker's first child, Carolyn Pearl Phillips. In 2000, Rucker married Beth Leonard. Daniella Rose, his second daughter, was born on May 16, 2001, and he and his wife, Beth. In 2005, they had Jack, who was the father. Rucker's tense relationship with his father was chronicled in the Hootie song "Where Were You" and it was released only in Europe, where Rucker believed that his father would not be interested to hear it. His country single "Alright" was inspired by his mother's marriage. In 2020, Rucker and his wife announced their conscious separation.

Rucker is a friend of golfer Tiger Woods, who met in a bar in 1993 when Woods was 18 years old. Rucker performed at the golfer's wedding with Hootie & the Blowfish and at his father's funeral. His golf involvement goes well beyond Woods'; he was a VIP at the 2016 Ryder Cup, and he attended Arnold Palmer's funeral shortly before the Cup. The Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Golf Tournament, a women's college golf tournament, has been named for him.

Rucker said on November 7, 2016, that he had become a partner in MGC Sports, a sports company that now represents golfers (among them Steve Stricker and Kenny Perry), football players, and coaches. He said he planned to limit his performance commitments from 100 to 30, and that his involvement in the entertainment industry would be a benefit to potential clients. Rucker will be allowed to work without restrictions for golfers, but first, he will only be allowed to speak with NFL players under very limited circumstances.

Rucker's "Celebrity Undercover Boss: Darius Rucker," the Undercover Boss series's premiered on May 12, 2017, Rucker disguised himself as a 62-year-old music tutor and worked as a roadie.

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Solo career

He released The Return of Mongo Slade, his solo R&B debut album on Atlantic Records in 2001. It was never released by the brand because of company changes. Back to Then, an independent record store, purchased the masters from Atlantic and released the album as Back to Then in July 2002. Jill Scott's production team made an appearance on the album "Sometimes I Wonder." In the 2001 comedy film Shallow Hal, the single "This Is My World" was included. "It was just a minute in my life," he later told The Arizona Republic about the album. "I was listening to a lot of Notorious B.I.G." "I was in Lauryn Hill at the time and wanted to make a neo soul record." He also stated in the article that he does not expect to record another R&B-styled album. "Country music is now my day job." I'll probably do this until it's all over, but that album was a lot of fun."

Rucker appeared on a pop-star version of the quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? In July 2001, the emperor of the United States declared a new one. In a television commercial for Burger King, he also sang of a singing cowboy, hawking the TenderCrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch sandwich in 2005. He performed a jingle set to the tune of "Big Rock Candy Mountain" in the commercial. Rucker contributed to the song "God's Reasons" written by Dean Dinning and Joel A. Miller for the film The Still Life in 2006.

Rucker signed to Capitol Records Nashville in early 2008 as the start of a career in country music. "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" (which he co-wrote with Clay Mills) was his first solo album, which debuted at No. 1. The Billboard Hot Country Songs charts for the week of May 3, 2008. It's his first single from his second album, Learn to Live. Rucker collaborated with Frank Rogers, a record producer who has also produced for Brad Paisley and Trace Adkins on this album. In July 2008, Rucker made his Grand Ole Opry debut. In September, Rucker became the first solo African-American artist to chart a number one country after Charley Pride's "Night Games" in 1983.

Learn to Live was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 6, 2009, and the American Institute of Accomplished Women (RIAA) on August 7, 2009. In mid-2009, the album's second single, "It Won't Be Like This for Longer," spent three weeks at the top of the country charts. "Alright," Rucker's third straight No., became his third straight No. The first artist to have his first three country singles debut at No. 1 was a big hit. This is the first time a Wynonna song has appeared in 1992. "History in the Making" was the album's fourth single and debuted in September and peaked at No. 1. 3. The singles also made it to the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 35, 36, 30, and 61.

"There's a sense of purpose that makes Rucker feel like a member of the country family rather than simply calculating interloper," a Billboard magazine said. Rucker travelled to various countries around the country, revealing that he was aware that he was the "new kid on the block." Rucker would be "somebody who will have rights," according to Mike Culotta, program manager of Tampa, Florida, but instead, "Darius involved everybody." When Rucker discovered that "Don't Think About It" went to number one, he cried. Rucker received the Country Music Association New Artist of the Year award (formerly known as the Horizon Award) on November 11, 2009, making him the first African American to do so since the award was established in 1981. Only one other African American has been crowned entertainer of the year in 1971 and 1972, as well as male vocalist in 1971 and 1972.

On October 12, 2010, Rucker's second country album, Charleston, SC 1966, was released. Radney Foster's solo debut album, Del Rio, TX 1959, is influenced by the title. Its first single was "Come Back Song," which Rucker co-wrote with Chris Stapleton and Casey Beathard. It was his fourth country number one as well as a NO. On the Hot 100, 37 people were targeted. "This" was the album's second single, and it also reached No. 2 on radio in November 2010. 1 in the country chart. Rucker wrote it with Rogers and Kara DioGuardi. "I Got Nothin'" was the album's third single, peaking at No. 11. 18. "I Don't Care" is also on the album, as well as a duet with Brad Paisley titled "I Don't Care." A gold medal was given to Charleston, SC, in 1966.

Rucker delivered the commencement address to the Medical University of South Carolina's graduating class on May 20, 2011.

Rucker was working on his third country album, with recording set to begin in January 2012 and the album's debut early in the year. "True Believers," the album's lead-off single, made its chart debut in September. Rucker told Broadway's Electric Barnyard on October 12, 2012 that his album titled True Believers would also be released. At No. 1, "True Believers" reached their high point. 18. Its second single is a recreation of Bob Dylan and Ketch Secor's "Wagon Wheel" (previously made popular by the Old Crow Medicine Exhibition), which also includes backing vocals from Lady Antebellum. The number "Wagon Wheel" appeared on "Wagon Wheel" has risen to No. 1. In May 2013, there was no. 1 on the Country Airplay chart. On May 21, 2013, True Believers were published. On July 22, 2013, the album's third single, "Radio," was released to country radio. "Miss You," the album's fourth single, was unveiled to country radio on February 3, 2014.

Rucker was invited to the Grand Ole Opry on October 2, 2012. He answered questions from the audience halfway through his set at the Opry that night, which included a question from Brad Paisley. "I have two questions," Paisley said. One, are you still the worst poker player in the world? Two, would you like to be the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry? Rucker accepted, and the law became official on October 16.

Rucker appeared at the C2C: Country to Country festival in London on March 17, 2013, which was headlined by Carrie Underwood.

On News Year's Day 2013, he performed the national anthem at the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida.

Rucker was the speaker at the commencement ceremony for the University of South Carolina in Columbia on May 11, 2013. He was granted an honorary doctorate of music prior to his address.

On June 16, 2013, Rucker performed the national anthem at the NBA finals.

Rucker's version of "Wagon Wheel" earned him a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards on December 6, 2013. Rucker received the first African American recording act (the second being The Pointer Sisters) to win a vocal performance Grammy Award in a country music category at the awards ceremony on January 26, 2014.

Rucker released "Homegrown Honey" on August 25, 2014, both on country radio and in digital stores. It was the lead single on his fourth country studio album, Southern Style, which was released on March 31, 2015. It's now No. 1. In April 2015, there were two countries on the Country Airplay chart. On May 4, 2015, the album's second single, the title track, was released to country radio.

Rucker had completed his first Christmas album on September 15, 2014, and that it would be released on October 27, 2014. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" stars Sheryl Crow on "Baby, It's Cold Outside." Rucker headlined Philadelphia's historic XTU 31st Anniversary Exhibition at the Susquehanna Bank Center on May 30, 2015. Christopher Bousquet, the president of the Hootie fan club, has been named President by him.

Rucker appears on Sister Hazel's 2016 album, Lighter in the Dark.

Rucker revealed on January 6, 2016, that he was working on his fifth country album. On July 5, 2016, the album's lead single, "If I Told You," was announced to country radio. It came in first on the Country Airplay chart less than a year ago and ranked fourth on the Hot Country Chart, and reached its highest position on the Hot Country Chart. Rucker was also on the bill in the United Kingdom in March 2017, where he was second on the bill to Reba McEntire.

Rucker appeared at the national anthem on May 29, 2016, just days before he ran in Indianapolis for the 100th time. On September 15, Rucker also performed the national anthem for a game between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets. Rucker decided to perform the song at the behest of personal friend and former Bills quarterback Bruce Smith, whose jersey was not retired that night. He sang the national anthem again at Wembley Stadium in London ahead of the Saints-Dolphins game in October 2017, as part of the NFL International Series.

Rucker was selected as one of the 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country," a mash-up track of "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "On the Road Again," and "I Will Always Love You," which honors the CMA Awards' 50th anniversary. Rucker's second single from his forthcoming album "For the First Time" was released on July 24, 2017. On July 26, 2017, he revealed the details of his fifth country album, titled When Was the Last Time, which was released on October 20, 2017.

On the seventeenth season of The Voice for Team Blake, Rucker appeared as a mentor. Under Capitol Records, Rucker released Beers and Sunshine in August 2020, as well as a "summer mix" version of the song in 2021. Rucker contributed a cover of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" to the charity tribute album The Metallica Blacklist in 2021.

In April 2022, Rucker unveiled "Same Beer Different Problems" in a new single. He revealed later this year that he would be releasing a new album containing a collaboration with Chapel Hart.

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