Darius Rucker

It's a voice that needs no introduction. Darius Rucker's soulful, rich baritone instantly resonates as a comforting companion in this journey we call life.

Rucker's career path veered first into pop as the lead singer/co-writer for the wildly successful Hootie & the Blowfish. The Grammy-winning group's 1994 debut, CRACKED REAR VIEW, is one of the best-selling albums in history, surpassing the 16 million album mark.

Fans of the band, many of whom have made the natural migration from pop to country radio, realize that Hootie & the Blowfish's catchy songs were rooted in the same elements that make great country music. In fact, Rucker says, "We talked about being a country band, and I just got outvoted! They also used to kid me about how I always was bringing them country songs that they had to turn into rock songs . . ." Therefore, making his first country CD was not so much a big leap for Rucker as simply a slight shift in Rucker's musical evolution. As Billboard magazine noted, "There's a sense of purpose that makes Rucker feel like a member of the country family, rather than an interloper...Sounds like country may have a shining new star."

The success of first single, the bittersweet "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," shows that Rucker had country fans at hello. The single, co-written by Rucker with Clay Mills, soared into the top 15 at radio even more quickly than anticipated. "It just breaks your heart," says Rucker of the song. "And it was country enough that it wouldn't be perceived as me being pop and just putting fiddle on a song."

While Hootie & the Blowfish are an ongoing project, Rucker's solo career is taking center stage for the foreseeable future. He is devoted to promoting LEARN TO LIVE. "We're taking a long time off," he says. "It's not, 'make one record and go back to Hootie,'" Rucker says. "I'm making country music."