Here’s what you need to know about country singer Darius Rucker!
1. Darius a member of the famous band Hootie & the Blowfish! The singer, 52, rose to fame when he formed the band in 1986 at the University of South Carolina with Mark Bryan, Jim “Soni” Sonfeld, and Dean Felber. Since their formation, the band has released five studio albums. Their biggest hits include “Only Wanna Be With You,” “Let Her Cry,” and “Hold My Hand.”
2. He’s also a very successful solo artist. Darius made his solo debut with the release of the R&B album, The Return of Mongo Slade. He entered into the country music universe with his second album, Learn to Live, in 2008. Darius made history with his single “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” after it reached number one on the charts. He became the first solo African American artist to have a number one country hit since 1983. Darius has released 5 more country albums since then.
3. He’s happily married and has the cutest family! Darius has been married to Beth Leonard since 2000. They have three children together. “I work hard to let my wife know how much I love her,” he told The Boot in 2011. “I try to do that every day. Romantic stuff is not something I really remember. I’m sure she could tell you some stuff that I’ve done that’s really cool, but for me, I just want her to be happy. She’s a strong woman. It’s hard to be married to me, and it was a lot harder when I was younger! Here we are 10 years later, madly in love. It’s a good place to be.”
4. He’s a major golf fan. Darius loves to hit the green, and he’s also a friend of Tiger Woods. Darius sang at Tiger’s wedding to Elin Nordegren with Hootie & the Blowfish and at the golfer’s dad’s funeral.
5. He’s a proud South Carolina native. Darius was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. He’s also a huge South Carolina Gamecocks fan. In Charleston, there’s a street named “Darius Rucker Boulevard” after him.
