Exploring Charleston Music with Darius Rucker

As a young kid, Rucker grew up listening to Al Green and The Temptations records with his Mother. His first experience of singing was at five years old when he would sing to his Mother’s friends when they came over for dinner, and would use the salt shaker as a mic. Rucker was fearless when it came to performing in front of others, and this encouraged him to join the Church Choir.

Rucker’s country music sound blends with gospel, rock-pop and R&B, and has very much been influenced by his childhood. Upon meeting the guitarist, Mark Bryan when Rucker was 19, their similar love for music inspired them to start a band. Jim Sonefeld joined as the drummer and Dean Felber became their bassist, and they named their assemble: Hootie & The Blowfish. Five studio albums later, Darius is known as Charleston’s vocal powerhouse.

Darius’ career has gone on to flourish and having left Charleston early in his career to go on tour - he has never forgotten his routes in the ‘Holy Land’, returning often and eventually penning a 2nd country album entitled Charleston, SC 1966.

Rucker’s heartfelt lyrics and country voice is inspired by the cobbled streets of Charleston, where shrimp boats drift into the early morning light off Patriot’s Point, families walk beneath the spanish moss on the plantation trees and the smell of shrimp and grits drifts from the Waterfront park to downtown.

When asked about life on the road, Rucker’s perfect response is “I’ve gotten to go all over the world and seen so many great and wonderful places, but Charleston is where it all started.”