Darius Rucker is an American singer and songwriter who is well known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of a rock band, “Hootie & the Blowfish”. The band was founded in 1986 which released 5 studio albums that charted six top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 including “Only Wanna Be With You” and “Hold My Hand.”
Rucker started his solo career with the release of his solo debut album, “Black to Then” in 2002. His hit single, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” from his second album, “Learn to Live” made him the first black artist to reach number one on the Hot Country Songs charts since Charley Pride in 1983.
With the release of his third Country album, “True Believers”(2013), Rucker entered no. 2 on the US Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the US Top Country Albums Billboard chart with the hit single “Wagon Wheel”(#1). Since then all of his albums have charted on Billboard charts, earning Rucker 3 Grammy Awards for “Best New Artist”, “Best Country Solo Performance” and “Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal”.
On July 11, 2020, Rucker announced of getting divorced from his wife, Bethe Leonard after 20 years of marriage via his Instagram post: @dariusrucker with a beautiful caption.
What is Darius Rucker Famous for?
- Famous as one of the influential musicians for his songs like “Only Wanna Be With You” and “Hold My Hand”.
- Known as the lead vocalist of a rock band, “Hootie & the Blowfish”.
Where was Darius Rucker Born?
Darius Rucker was born on May 13, 1966, in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. His birth name is Darius Carlos Rucker. His nationality is American. Rucker belongs to African-American ethnicity while Taurus is his zodiac sign.
Darius Rucker was raised by his mother, Carolyn, who was a nurse at the Medical University of South Carolina, along with his three sisters and two brothers. His father was in a gospel band called “The Traveling Echoes” and was never around Rucker through his childhood.
He had a typical Southern African-American upbringing and his family attended church every Sunday. His family had a poor economic condition that his mother, her two sisters, his grandmother, and 14 children lived in a three-bedroom house.
He attended the University of South Carolina where he met his future band members, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld. They met during their first year and eventually got together after Bryan first heard Rucker singing in the shower, and the two became a duo, playing R.E.M. covers at a local venue and later recruited Felber and Sonefeld.
Source: @tasteofcountry
Darius Rucker’s Career Highlights
- Darius Rucker began his career as a lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of a rock band, “Hootie & the Blowfish” which he formed in 1986 along with his college friends.
- They made their debut with the release of their first EP titled “Kootchypop” in 1993. Shortly after, they were signed to Atlantic Records.
- With the release of their debut album, “Cracked Rear View”(1994), which was an instant hit that ranked at first on the Billboard 200, earned the band their first Grammy Award for “Best New Artist”.
- Its hit single, “Let Her Cry” remains one of the most successful works of the band as well as in Rucker’s career.
- As a member of the band, Rucker recorded six studio albums altogether including their first album: “Fairweather Johnson”(1996), “Musical Chairs”(1998), “Scattered, Smothered & Covered”(2000), “Hootie & the Blowfish and Looking for Lucky”(2005).
- After a ten-year hiatus, Rucker and the band announced that they will be touring with Barenaked Ladies in 2019 and released “Imperfect Circle” on November 1, 2019.
- Rucker made his solo R&B debut album, “The Return of Mongo Slade”, for Atlantic Records in 2001. The same year, in July, Rucker appeared on a pop-star edition of the quiz show, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”
- A year later in 2002, his first solo album, “Back to Then” was released that entered on Billboard charts.
- In 2006, Rucker lent his voice to the track “God’s Reasons” for the film, “The Still Life”.
- Rucker also made his Grand Ole Opry debut in July 2008.
- He then started his career in country music after getting signed to Capitol Records Nashville in 2008. His first solo single, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” debuted at No. 51 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
- On September 16, 2008, his second solo album titled “Learn to Live” was released, which is Rucker’s the most successful solo album as it even peaked at #5 on the US Billboard chart.
- With its hit singles such as “It Won’t Be Like This for Long”, “Alright” and “History in the Making”, he got a more stable solo career.
- Rucker released his second country album, “Charleston, SC 1966”, on October 12, 2010. Its singles, “Come Back Song”, “This”, “I Got Nothin'” was also a hit.
- In August 2012, he released a song, “True Believers” that made its chart debut in September. On May 21, 2013, his fourth album, “True Believers” was released peaked at No. 18.
- Its single, “Wagon Wheel” was an instant hit that even is one of the best works of his career.
- Rucker was a featured performer at the C2C: Country to Country festival in London on March 17, 2013.
- On August 25, 2014, Rucker released a new single titled “Homegrown Honey”, which was the lead single to his fourth country studio album, “Southern Style”, released on March 31, 2015.
- On July 24, 2017, Rucker released the second single from his fifth country album, titled “When Was the Last Time”, titled “For the First Time.”
Source: [email protected]
Who is Beth Leonard?
Darius Rucker and Beth Leonard Split
Darius Rucker was married to Beth Leonard. Leonard is a beautiful woman whom Ricker met in 1998 and got married in 2000. They welcomed their first daughter together on May 16, 2001, named Daniella Rose and their son named Jack in 2005. The couple lived together for almost 20 years before they announced getting divorced on July 11, 2020. However, they have agreed on terms of keeping their family together even though they will not be together.
Previously, Rucker dated Elizabeth Ann Phillips with whom he has his first child named Carolyn Pearl Phillips born on April 21, 1995. Besides, Rucker is a friend of the golfer Tiger Woods, whom he met in a bar when Woods was 18. Rucker even sang at the Woods’ wedding with Hootie & the Blowfish and at his father’s funeral.
Source: [email protected]
Rucker also has regularly worked with charities that support sick and underprivileged children. He also serves as a board member of the MUSC Children’s Hospital in Charleston, SC. where his mother worked for over 30 years from the time Rucker was a child.
Darius Rucker’s Net Worth
Darius Rucker has quite great earnings from his professional career as a singer and musician. Having been in the field of music for over 35 years, Rucker has managed to amass a healthy fortune from his several songs, albums, and concerts. His net worth is estimated to be around $14 million.
Darius Rucker’s Height
Darius Rucker is a good-looking man in his 50s. With his soothing voice and charming personality, Rucker has managed to win several hearts all around the world. He stands tall with a height of 1.76m while 75kg is his body weight. He has a dark complexion with bald hair and brown eyes.
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