Darius Rucker made a genius genre leap back in 2008 when he released his first country record. Rucker, 50, was known as the frontman of ’90s hitmakers Hootie & the Blowfish, but when he went solo and turned up the twang and heartland sentiment — already pretty present in Hootie’s material — he struck on a formula that country fans had been hungry for.
Rucker was the first African-American to have a single reach No. 1 on the Hot Country charts since Charley Pride in 1983. The pop-to-country pathway is one that other artists have been following since then. (Bon Jovi did it, and Steven Tyler is rumored to be working on a country record as well.)
Listen to Rucker’s sweet duet with Lionel Richie on “Stuck On You” on the former Commodores frontman’s album of country versions of his old hits. Rucker has some serious South Carolina pride, and there’s a street — Darius Rucker Boulevard — named after him in North Charleston. That’s what I call making it.
Earlier this month Rucker released his new single “If I Told You,” from his forthcoming fifth country album.
Darius Rucker performs at Xfinity Theatre, 61 Savitt Way, Hartford, Saturday, July 22, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30.75 to $55.50. Information: livenation.com.
