DARIUS RUCKER Biography - Musicians

 
 

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DARIUS RUCKER

Name: Darius Rucker                                                                 
Born: 13 May 1966                                                                   
                                                                                     
Darius Rucker (born May 13, 1966 in Charleston, South Carolina) is the lead         
singer and rhythm guitarist of the band Hootie & the Blowfish. He is a graduate     
of Middleton High School (South Carolina) (class of 1984).                           
                                                                                     
Rucker has been a member of Hootie & the Blowfish since their original formation     
in 1990. He met fellow band members, Mark Bryan, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, and Dean       
Felber, while attending the University of South Carolina. Also, he hates the         
name Hootie; according to the band, the name "Hootie" was in fact the nickname       
of one of Rucker's classmates (as was "The Blowfish") and not any particular         
member of the band itself.                                                           
                                                                                     
In 2001, he made his solo debut album The Return of Mongo Slade for Atlantic         
Records. Because of contractual changes, it was never released.                     
Rucker then signed with Hidden Beach Recordings and released Back to Then, an R&B   
album, in July 2002.                                                                 
                                                                                     
In March 2005, Rucker portrayed a singing cowboy in a Burger King commercial for     
the Tendercrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch sandwich. While humorous in tone, the ad         
showcases Rucker's love of country music. The song sung in the commercial was a     
parody of "Big Rock Candy Mountain".                                                 
                                                                                     
He recently made an appearance at the 42nd annual Academy of Country Music           
Awards as a presenter along side country singer Terri Clark. He is also featured     
on Jill Scott's new CD 'Collaborations'.                                             
                                                                                     
Rucker sang on a track entitled "God's Reasons" for the film The Still Life set     
to be released in 2007. The song was co written by Dean Dinning, of Toad the Wet     
Sprocket. He also makes a guest appearance on the CD Between Friends by Paul         
Sanchez.                                                                             
                                                                                     
Rucker is working on a country album that is due to be released on the Capitol       
Records Nashville label in the Spring of 2008. The first single from this record     
should be out in early 2008.