{"id":807,"date":"2015-10-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-10-14T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2015\/2015\/10\/14\/darius-rucker-following-his-heart-to-where-the-music-leads\/"},"modified":"2015-10-14T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2015-10-14T00:00:00","slug":"darius-rucker-following-his-heart-to-where-the-music-leads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2015\/2015\/10\/14\/darius-rucker-following-his-heart-to-where-the-music-leads\/","title":{"rendered":"Darius Rucker Following his Heart to Where the Music Leads"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes a conversation enlightens you and broadens your ability to appreciate things even more so than you already do. This was the case after speaking with Darius Rucker<\/a>. Known to most as the lead singer to the Grammy<\/a> Award winning group Hootie and The Blowfish<\/a>, Darius Rucker had already made his mark on music lovers nationally in the genre of rock\/pop.<\/p>\n

Why in the world would an artist of his caliber decide to switch genres and “go country?” \u00a0How would the country genre accept him? \u00a0What was the motivation behind this need to follow his musical journey down a new road?<\/p>\n

\"Darius<\/p>\n

I had an opportunity to speak with Rucker about his career, his beloved Charleston, South Carolina, and what motivated him to make this move towards what has become his true calling.<\/p>\n

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Kathy Stockbridge (KS)<\/strong>: \u00a0Hi Darius, thank you so much for speaking with us at NYSMusic. \u00a0We are really looking forward to your shows here in New York and want to give you a warm welcome.<\/p>\n

Darius Rucker (DR)<\/strong>: Thank you.<\/p>\n

KS<\/strong>: \u00a0You were born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. \u00a0Were you raised in a musical household?<\/p>\n

DR<\/strong>: \u00a0Well everyone in our house sang. \u00a0We sang a lot. Especially my mom. \u00a0She sang all the time. And my sister as well. There was always music being played whether it was the radio or the big ol hi-fi we had. So yes, I would say it was a musical household.<\/p>\n

KS<\/strong>: \u00a0What are a few of your earliest influences in music?<\/p>\n

DR<\/strong>: \u00a0Early on for me Al Green was just everything. \u00a0I can remember being a little kid (around 4 or 5) and hearing his voice and hearing him hit those notes. \u00a0I remember thinking ‘that’s what I want to do. \u00a0I want to do what Al Green’s doing’. \u00a0He, as well as Gladys Knight and the Pips. \u00a0Then when I got a little older, like 6, 7, \u00a08, or 9 I started really getting into AM radio and that’s when it just went across the board. \u00a0The Opry shows, Kenny Rogers, or Cheap Trick. \u00a0Anything I could hear (influenced me), literally anything.<\/p>\n

KS<\/strong>: \u00a0I, like many others, have followed your career since Hootie & The Blowfish days. \u00a0You are one of those artists that have been able to successfully cross over from rock to country and you did it so seamlessly. Talk to me a little about that transition, and what made you decide to go from a very successful rock career into a new genre such as country music.<\/p>\n

DR<\/strong>: \u00a0You know, we had been touring for a while. \u00a0We had been on the road pretty much every summer since we all got out of college. \u00a0One of the band members mentioned that they didn’t want to do it every year any more. \u00a0Ever since the late 80’s I was big into Foster and Lloyd. \u00a0Then Radney Foster came out with his solo record Del Rio TX 1859<\/em>, and I just remember hearing that record for the first time and after hearing that record I would tell anyone who would listen, that I was going to make a country record\u00a0some day. I had never thought of singing it, until I heard that record. \u00a0I just wanted to sing that\u00a0<\/em>record. \u00a0I wanted to sound like that<\/em>. \u00a0I wanted to be that<\/em>. So I said, someday when I get the chance I’m going to make a country album. \u00a0When we decided to take a break, I was like, I’m going to make my country record. \u00a0And to be honest with you I didn’t think I could get a record deal.<\/p>\n

KS<\/strong>: \u00a0Really?<\/p>\n

DR<\/strong>: \u00a0I wouldn’t have given me a record deal. \u00a0I mean why? \u00a0There was this African-American guy that just came from a very successful rock band, \u00a0they had a great run and are out touring, so why would some country guy go ‘yeah I’ll give you a shot’? I wasn’t even looking for a record deal to be honest with ya. \u00a0I was going to do it here in Charleston with my buddies. \u00a0And then my manager got me a record deal with Capitol. \u00a0It was fun making the record and then all the hard work started with the tour; going to 10o something radios stations, shaking hands, saying hey, and playing for six people in the cafeteria or the conference room, a lot of work but all in all it was fun. \u00a0I had a great time and I’ve made some great friends who are still great friends on that tour. And finally we convinced them (the radio stations) that “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” was a song that they should play, so they did.<\/p>\n

KS<\/strong>: \u00a0I have to tell you, to me it seemed very seamless. \u00a0It was one of those things that just seemed like it was meant to be.<\/p>\n

DR<\/strong>: \u00a0I think so.<\/p>\n

KS<\/strong>: \u00a0So right now you’re touring with your new\u00a0Southern Style<\/em> album, which is your fourth solo album. \u00a0Talk to me a little about this new album and what you hope listeners will take away from it.<\/p>\n

DR<\/strong>: \u00a0I hope they take away how much fun I’m having in country music. The songs are always important to me, that’s why I write so many, and to come down to such a small number of thirteen when you write 50 something, it tough to decide but you want great songs on it. \u00a0You can expect great country music on it because it’s a lot of fun,this album. And it’s been great playing it live and seeing the crowds singing along with the songs.<\/p>\n

KS<\/strong>: \u00a0Is it tough to choose which you decided to put on an album? \u00a0And the others, do you say I’ll put these back here because I’ll put those on another album.<\/p>\n

DR<\/strong>: \u00a0We keep a lot of them, but some of them we try to get cut by other folks. \u00a0Every record there are 50 songs I think are great, that I love, but I\u00a0just can’t cut an album with thirty songs.<\/p>\n

KS<\/strong>: Right, exactly. \u00a0Now I have to say, for several years I lived in Charleston and it became “my happy place”. \u00a0When you live there it becomes something very special to you. \u00a0It’s rich with history, culture, architecture, and has a peace that is tough to put into words. \u00a0When listening to “You Can Have Charleston”, I think you captured some of that emotion I feel towards the city. \u00a0Talk to me a little about that song and some of the others from that album that focus on that area.
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