Darius Rucker

Darius Rucker (born May 13, 1966 in Charleston, South Carolina) is an American musician. He is known mainly for his role as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, of which he has been a member since the band's inception in 1986.

Along with his work in Hootie & the Blowfish, Rucker has recorded two solo albums. The first, Back to Then, was released in 2002 on Hidden Beach Recordings. An album of country music entitled Learn to Live followed in 2008 on Capitol Records Nashville. This album has produced three straight chart hits for him, including the Number Ones "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" and "It Won't Be Like This for Long", the former of which made Rucker the first African American to top the country singles charts since Charley Pride in 1983.

Musical career

Rucker has been a member of Hootie & the Blowfish since their formation in 1986. He met fellow band members, Mark Bryan, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, and Dean Felber, while attending the University of South Carolina. As a member of Hootie & the Blowfish, he has recorded five studio albums, all of which feature him on lead vocals.

Solo career

In 2001, he made his solo R&B debut album The Return of Mongo Slade for Atlantic Records. Because of contractual changes, it was never released by the label. Hidden Beach Recordings, an independent label, acquired the masters from Atlantic, releasing the album as Back to Then in July 2002.

Rucker also portrayed a singing cowboy in a television commercial for the fast food chain Burger King, promoting their TenderCrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch sandwich in 2005

. In the commercial, he sang a jingle set to the tune of "Big Rock Candy Mountain".

Country music

In early 2008, Rucker signed to Capitol Records Nashville as the beginning of a career in country music. His first solo single, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" (which he co-wrote with Clay Mills) debuted at #51 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts for the week of May 3, 2008. It is the first single from his second album, Learn to Live, which was produced by Frank Rogers. Rucker also made his Grand Ole Opry debut in July 2008.title=Darius Rucker Basking in Country Success "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" reached Top 20 on the country charts in July 2008, making him the first African-American singer to reach Top 20 on the country charts since Charley Pride in 1988.title=Rucker Proves That Sometimes, The Best Marketing Is No Marketing At All The single reached Number One in September,Caulfield, Keith. "Metallica Holds At No. 1, Ne-Yo Arrives In Second ". Billboard. September 24 2008. making Rucker the first solo African American artist to chart a Number One country hit since Pride's "Night Games" in 1983.

Learn to Live was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in February 2009, as was "Don't Think I Don't Think About It". The second single released, "It Won't Be Like This for Long" was released shortly afterward. The song became Rucker's second #1 on the Billboard country charts in early 2008, spending three weeks at the top. Following it is the album's third single, "Alright", also a Top Ten hit on the same chart.

Discography

Albums

Released: July 30, 2002

Label: Hidden Beach

Singles

Copyright Citations
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