photo by Randi Radcliff
written by Krys Midgett
Darius Rucker is making history in the country music industry. He has released four singles from his debut album and the first three hit number one, while the fourth is steadily climbing. The fourth single from his debut album, History in the Making, is now in the Top 10. To top off his successful year, he won New Artist of The Year at the CMA Awards on November 11th. He was also nominated for Top Male Vocalist. Brad Paisley received that honor.
Darius Rucker’s debut country single, “Don’t think I Don’t Think About It,” hit number one on the country singles chart and held that position for two weeks while his album, LEARN TO LIVE topped the country Billboard albums chart. Since Charley Pride’s last number one “Night Games” in 1983, there have been no other commercially successful African-American country singers. That is until Rucker hit the scene.
LEARN TO LIVE debuted No. 1 on the country albums charts with over 60,000 units sold within the first week, and since its entrance on the chart, the album has remained in the Top 15 in country album sales. LIVE was RIAA certified Platinum recently. The second song to hit No. 1 on his album was the ballad, "It Won't Be Like This For Long." The song was written by Rucker, Chris DuBois, and Ashley Gorley. Rucker calls the single a "bittersweet lullaby," that is dedicated to all parents. The third single to hit number one is 'Alright.' "When we were writing it, we were talking about how fast our families were growing up. That first week after the baby is born is awful: you're up all the time. Then when it's not like that, you miss those times."
Rucker wrote his first Number One with Clay Mills. Mills wrote such hits as “Beautiful Mess” for Diamond Rio and “She Thinks She Needs Me” for Andy Griggs, among a long list of other hits. For his debut album, Rucker has written songs with some of country’s top songwriters including LEARN TO LIVE has songs featuring some of country’s musical greats. Alison Krauss and Vince Gill sing on “If I had Wings” an inspirational song. Brad Paisley plays guitar on the humorous “All I Want,” adding credibility to Rucker’s album through the collaborations and opened some touring opportunities.Rivers Rutherford, Frank Rogers and Clay Mills.
“Clay and I met and came in with some friends and started talking. He [Clay’s friend] said that his girlfriend had just left him and he was very upset about it. I made a joke about how everybody feels that way and I made a joke about missing my 5th grade girlfriend. We laughed about it. We wrote a different song but we came back the next day and that was on his mind. He was like ‘we should write that’ and I said cool. We wrote it and it was my first single … my first country number one,” says Rucker.
Rucker has a very successful career as the lead singer of Hootie and The Blowfish. Their first album CRACKED REAR VIEW remains the 12th best-selling album in music business history. Combined, their records have soldover 25 million copies. After 22 years, Rucker decided to do something he has always dreamed of--make a country album. Hootie and The Blowfish will still tour, but they are taking a break from recording and summer concert festivals for Rucker to pursue that dream. 
“I've always liked country music. When I discovered Radney and those guys, it was really something that I got into a lot. I have been saying for years that I was going to do it. I was going to do it in my little studio in Charleston, and then I got the deal. I was going to make the record, have fun with it and then Capitol got involved with it. I realized how much this could be a career, and that I could make a lot of country records. That's a cool feeling knowing I can make a lot of records.” With Rucker’s influences including legends such as Radney Foster, Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett, and Dwight Yoakum, traditional country music lovers can look forward to something more than a pop crossover.
As lead singer of Hootie and The Blowfish, Rucker came into country with a huge fan-base. But how have his rock fans taken to the crossover? “I read online a lot of people saying "I didn't think I'd like country music till I got this album. That was pretty cool to read. I think they might listen to country and give it a shot. I think if you listen to country radio for a while you are going to find something you like or a lot of stuff you like. I think there is something good happening and everyone is happy with the record. That is important to me. “
photo by Randi Radcliff
Country music fans took to his debut album with a very welcome response; taking his first single to number one. Rucker was not expecting the overwhelming response; he was hoping to be in the Top 15, at least. “That was a shocker. I told my producer, Frank Rogers, we were talking about singles and I said I don't care what song they put out, I just want them to pick a song they think they can take to number one. He stopped me and said hey man at least the top 15 cause number 1; you guys don't really get number 1, from that point on that wasn't something I was trying to get a hold in. If we got a top 15 or a top 10 single people will take it seriously but to go to number one was incredible and the span over 2 weeks was even better. That was a great feeling it was awesome” says Rucker.
On the making of his debut album, Rucker had full control of what he wanted to record.
“They [Capitol] let me choose whatever I want to put on the record. I just deliver the record. There was even one point where I was going back and forth between two songs. The president of the label had sent me the one song and the other song I had written with a friend of mine. He called me up to tell me in no uncertain terms, do what you want to do, this is your record, don't think I am tied into this song. If you want to do it, do it. I thought that was really cool and it's my record. If it is successful or unsuccessful, I can say I made the record I wanted to make.” Rucker says the biggest difference between the genres is the way artists and fans interact.
“[It’s different because of] the relationship between the fans and the artists. It's crazy how program directors and artists are friends and they text each other and hang out. You go to CMA Fan Fair and it's amazing how you just see people walking around and doing whatever and talking. I'll never forget Vegas and seeing Kix Brooks walk into the MGM and hanging out, talking to all the fans and I was like man that is cool, that guy is huge. He was just hanging out, taking pictures. I thought that was awesome.”
Rucker made his first appearance as a country artist on The Late Show on October 1st. Soon he followed with appearances on The Tonight Show and inclusion in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He also performed “Don’t Think I Don’t Think about it” on The 42nd Annual CMA Awards on November 12th.
“Letterman is always special for me. Letterman was where that rocket that was 1994, ‘95 and ‘96 had the songs take off. Letterman is a special show for me. When they called and said they wanted me to come on, that was really cool. Every time we play there it is just awesome. When I play Letterman, I am thinking wow this is really happening. Watching it so much growing up and being a big fan of it now, getting to play it as many times as I have now is incredible.”
Since entering the country scene, Rucker has made some memories and plans a long career in country music.
”It has been a lot of fun. I have had a blast, done things I never thought I'd get to do. I played the Grand Ole Opry twice. You know I have met people I never thought I'd get to meet. It has been cool. I just want to keep on having fun. I want to be around a long time. I want to make as many records as I want to make. I want to be in the business as long as I want to be in it. That's really the only goal I have.” 
Rucker is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. He believes in helping his home state through the charity he and his fellow Hootie band mates established in 2000. The Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation is a private, non-profit organization that was created to benefit children of South Carolina through education and supporting school music programs nationwide. Hootie & the Blowfish have created opportunities for grants by establishing a fund with the Central Carolina Community Foundation. It benefits the education of South Carolina’s children of today, and well into the future. For more information, or to make a donation to this foundation, go to www.hootie.com and click ‘Foundation.’
Rucker continues to make promotional appearances across the country on behalf of LEARN TO LIVE. The beginning of the year, Rucker played a few dates on the Paisley Party Tour. He joined up with Rascal Flatts in June and is currently touring with them. He did an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on August 27th and recently performed on the CMA Awards. There is definitely more to come from Darius Rucker. Check out his website www.dariusrucker.com and add him at www.myspace.com/dariusrucker
