Darius Rucker Biography

(Singer, Guitarist)

Birthday: May 13, 1966 (Taurus)

Born In: Charleston, South Carolina

Darius Carlos Rucker is a famed American singer, songwriter, and musician. He founded the Grammy Award winning rock band named ‘Hootie & the Blowfish’, and was also its lead vocalist and guitarist for several years. Rucker has released multiple studio albums with the band, and several of their songs have topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The group first came to popularity after the release of their album ‘Cracked Rear View’. Their best works include hits, such as ‘Hold My Hand’, ‘Let Her Cry’ and ‘I Only Want to Be with You’, which have sold millions of copies. Their albums ‘Fairweather Johnson’ and ‘Musical Chair’ also proved to be very popular. After enjoying a successful career with his group, Rucker made the decision to begin a solo career. His first solo album was ‘Back to Then’. It peaked at the 127th position on the US Billboard 200. After nearly a decade, he released the single ‘Wagon Wheel’ which was a huge success, becoming one of the best works of his career. It topped several charts and also won him the Grammy Award for ‘Best Country Solo Performance’.
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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Darius Carlos Rucker

Age: 58 Years, 58 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Beth Leonard (m. 2000)

mother: Carolyn

children: Carolyn Pearl Phillips

Pop Singers American Men

Height: 5'10" (178 cm), 5'10" Males

U.S. State: South Carolina

More Facts

education: University of South Carolina

  • 1

    Is Darius Rucker still touring in 2021?

    Yes, Darius Rucker has announced tour dates for 2021, including performances at various music festivals and venues.
  • 2

    What genre of music does Darius Rucker primarily perform?

    Darius Rucker primarily performs country music, although he initially gained fame as the lead vocalist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish.
  • 3

    Has Darius Rucker won any Grammy Awards?

    Yes, Darius Rucker has won a Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance for his song "Wagon Wheel."
  • 4

    Does Darius Rucker have any upcoming collaborations with other artists?

    As of the latest information available, Darius Rucker does not have any confirmed upcoming collaborations with other artists.
  • 5

    What inspired Darius Rucker to pursue a career in country music?

    Darius Rucker has cited his love for traditional country music and the storytelling aspect of the genre as key inspirations for his transition from rock to country music.
Childhood & Early Life
Darius Rucker was born on 13th May 1966 in Charleston, South Carolina, in the US. He was raised by his mother Carolyn along with his three sisters and two brothers. According to him, he never saw his father much, except before church on Sundays. His father was in a gospel band named the Rolling Stones. He had a happy childhood despite being raised in poverty.
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Career with Hootie & the Blowfish
Darius Rucker began his career with the band ‘Hootie & the Blowfish’ which he formed in 1986 along with his college friends Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld. They met during their first year at the University of South Carolina. A few years later, they released two cassette demo Extended Plays. They released their first EP ‘Kootchypop’ in 1993. Shortly after, they were signed to Atlantic Records.
They released their debut album ‘Cracked Rear View’ in 1994. The album was an instant success and is one of their best selling albums till date. It was also the highest-selling album of 1995. It entered several charts and stood at the first position on the Billboard 200. A critical success as well, the band won a Grammy Award for ‘Best New Artist’ and also another one for their single ‘Let Her Cry’.
The band released their second album ‘Fairweather Johnson’ in 1996. Though it didn’t fare as well as their previous album, it topped the Billboard US 200 chart, and also charted in several countries such as Canada and the UK. The single ‘Old Man & Me’ can be regarded as the most successful single of the album. It peaked at the 13th position on the Billboard Hot 100. After the release of the group’s third album ‘Musical Chairs’, which was an average success, Rucker decided to focus on building his solo career.
Solo Career
Darius Rucker’s first solo album ‘Back to Then’ was released in 2002. Though it wasn’t a huge success, it entered the Billboard 200 chart, standing at the 127th position. Six years later, he released his second solo album ‘Learn to Live’. It peaked at the fifth position on the US Billboard 200. It was a huge commercial success and remains his best-selling solo album so far.
Rucker continued his solo career over the next few years, and released several more albums including ‘Charleston, SC 1966’ (2010), ‘True Believers’ (2013), ‘Home for the Holidays’ (2014), ‘Southern Style’ (2015) and ‘When Was the Last Time’ (2017). He also made an appearance in Sister Hazel’s album ‘Lighter in the Darker’, which was released in 2016.
Major Works
‘Let Her Cry’ was a single from the album ‘Cracked Rear View’ by Rucker’s band ‘Hootie & the Blowfish’. It remains one of the most successful works of the band as well as in Rucker’s career. The song entered several charts including the Billboard Hot 100, where it stood at the 9th position. It also won the Grammy Award in the category of ‘Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals’.
Rucker’s most successful solo album is his second album ‘Learn to Live’ which was released in 2008. It peaked at the 5th position on the US Billboard 200. With singles such as ‘Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It’, ‘Alright’ and ‘History in the Making,’ it helped him launch his solo career.
His more recent works include the studio album ‘Southern Style’, which was released in 2015. It peaked at the 7th position on the US Billboard 200. With singles such as ‘Homegrown Honey’, ‘High on Life’ and ‘Southern Style’, the album was a commercial success, and also won an award at the British Country Music Association Awards, in the category of ‘International Album of the Year’.
Awards & Achievements
As a member of ‘Hootie & the Blowfish’, Darius Rucker won two Grammy Awards in 1995; the first one for ‘Best New Artist’ and the second one for their single ‘Let Her Cry’ in the category of ‘Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals’.
He won another Grammy Award in 2013 for the single ‘Wagon Wheel’ and the ‘British Country Music Association Award’ for the album ‘Southern Styles’ in 2015.
Personal Life
Darius Rucker married Beth Leonard in 2000. The couple is happily married with three children. Their first daughter Carolyn Pearl Phillips was born in April 1995 and their second daughter Danielle Rose was born in 2001. They also had a son named Jack in 2005.
Facts About Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker is an avid golfer and has participated in numerous charity golf tournaments.
He once performed a surprise concert for students at an elementary school in his hometown.
Darius Rucker is a big sports fan and has been known to attend football games to support his favorite teams.
He is a dedicated philanthropist and has been involved in various charitable endeavors, particularly those focused on education and healthcare.
Darius Rucker is also a talented songwriter and has written many of his own songs, showcasing his creativity beyond his vocal abilities.

Awards

Grammy Awards
2014 Best Country Solo Performance Winner
1996 Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Winner
1996 Best New Artist Winner

See the events in life of Darius Rucker in Chronological Order

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