Kheesha AbreuRock & Roll in American SocietyMUH 3023 001Spring 2014I chose to write my article about Darius Rucker because when I was younger, my uncle played me songs all the time by Hootie & the Blowfish. My favorite song is “I Only Want To Be With You”, released in 1994 on the album Cracked Rear View. I still listen to their old albums although I now prefer Darius Rucker's songs, as a solo country music artist, to those of Hootie & the Blowfish. He went from an American rock band to a solo country singer and has been charting ever since. Darius has accomplished many wonderful things, one of which is being "the first country music singer to have his first three singles reach No. 1 since Wynona Judd in 1992." I'll talk about Darius' career as a member of Hootie & the Blowfish, his career as a solo artist, and why I like him. Here's some background information on Darius Rucker and the band he formed in college. Darius was born on May 13, 1966; he was raised by a single mother and was one of six children. As a child, Darius sang in his church choir and was a member of his high school choir. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of South Carolina, where the band Hootie & the Blowfish was formed in 1986. It is said that Mark Bryan, another member of the band, heard Darius singing in the shower and the two became a duo. , named Wolf Brothers, before adding the other two members. Dean Felber joined them, then in 1989 Jim "Soni" Sonefeld joined, officially forming Hootie & the Blowfish. The group was signed by Atlantic Records and recorded six albums; all albums contained songs written by Darius, Mark and Felber. "The band's blusey harmonica solos - working in tandem with Rucker's ...... middle of paper ...... Wagon Wheel, Radio, Lost in you and Lie to me) on loop and ne My uncle introduced me to Hootie & the Blowfish when I was younger, but I didn't continue to listen to Darius as much until after I heard "Don't Think I Don't Think About." It'. Once I heard that song, I was hooked; I started looking for other songs by him and that's when I realized he was the singer; lead from Hootie & the Blowfish As I mentioned earlier, I prefer his country albums to his rock band albums. Maybe it's because I'm a country music fan, but I find myself. to sing more and become more interested in his country music Works Cited "About", Darius Rucker Official Website, http://www.dariusrucker.com (April 29, 2009). The Biography Channel, http://www.biography.com/people/darius-rucker-224910 (accessed March 11, 2014).