Darius Carlos Rucker is an American singer and songwriter. He first gained fame as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, which he founded in 1986 at the University of South Carolina along with Mark Bryan, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, and Dean Felber. Rucker sang lead vocals on their debut album, Cracked Rear View (1994), which became the 16th-best-selling album of all time in the US, and was certified platinum 16 times. By 1996, the band had become one of the world's best-selling groups of all time. As a solo artist, Rucker has released six studio albums: Back to Then (2002), Charleston, SC 1966 (2010), True Believers (2013), Southern Style (2015), When Was the Last Time (2017), and Greatest Hits: 1974–2019 (2019). He has also charted 16 singles on the Billboard country charts, including 11 number ones: "Don't Think I Don't Think About It", "It Won't Be Like This for Long", "Alright", "Come Back Song", "This", "Wagon Wheel", "Hold My Hand", "For the First Time", "If I Told You", and "Straight to Hell". Rucker co-wrote the latter three with Luke Laird and Ashley Gorley. He has participated in both the CMT Crossroads and Grammy in the Schools programs. Rucker has won three Grammy Awards, all for Best Country Solo Performance: "Wagon Wheel" in 2014, "Hold My Hand" in 2016, and "For the First Time" in 2018. He is also a member of the Grand Ole Opry. In May 2019, he released his first album in five years, Greatest Hits 1974–2019. The album includes his 11 No. 1 singles, as well as fan favorites and three new songs. Rucker was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the son of Carolyn and Walter Rucker. He is a descendant of slave owner Andrew Jackson Ruckers. Through his mother, he is a cousin of musician Reggie Young. His father died of a heart attack when Rucker was 13 years old. He grew up in Charleston's East Side and went to school at Saint Andrews Parish School, where he played football and baseball. He also sang in a local gospel group, The Pompey Singers, which performed frequently at churches throughout the Charleston area. Rucker's mother remarried when he was 13 and his new stepfather, Maurice Jenkins, took him to see James Brown perform live at the Gormet Club in Charleston. Rucker has said that seeing Brown perform was a pivotal moment in his life and inspired him to pursue a career in music. After graduating from high school in 1983, Rucker attended the University of South Carolina. He joined a local cover band, The New Justice Reinforcement, which played Top 40 and beach music covers at clubs and fraternity parties. He also became a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. In 1986, while working at the counter of Spaulding's Bakery in Five Points, Rucker met Mark Bryan, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, and Dean Felber. Together, they founded the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. Rucker sang lead vocals and played rhythm guitar, while the other three members performed on lead guitar, drums, and bass. The band released its first album, Cracked Rear View, in 1994. The album was an instant success, selling over 16 million copies in the United States and becoming the 16th-best-selling album of all time in the US. It also spawned four hit singles: "Hold My Hand", "Let Her Cry", "Only Wanna Be with You", and "Time". Rucker is one of 30 artists chosen to perform on "Forever Country," a song that combines "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "On the Road Again," and "I Will Always Love You" to honor the CMA Awards' 50th anniversary. On July 26, 2017, Rucker published information about his fifth country album, titled When Was the Last Time, which was released on October 20, 2017. On July 24, 2017, Rucker released the second song off his next album, titled "For the First Time." On the seventeenth season of The Voice, Rucker served as Team Blake's mentor. Beers & Sunshine by Rucker was published by Capitol Records in August 2020. A "summer mix" of the song was released in 2021. Rucker contributed a cover of "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica to the charity tribute album The Metallica Blacklist in 2021. Don’t miss out on this world tour and see Darius Rucker live and in person! Browse events, pick your seats, tour venues, and tour dates, add your email address, and continue to checkout. Yadara’s International event marketplace has something for everyone. We are committed to making your ticket purchase experience easy and secure, so you can focus on creating memories. Buy cheap Darius Rucker concert tickets at Yadara today and receive e-tickets straight to your inbox. So, whether you’re in the United States, the United Kingdom, or any part of the world, all purchases are 100% guaranteed. All canceled events will result in a full refund. Ticket prices may be above or below face value. If you run into any problems, our first-class customer service team will provide hassle-free assistance from start to finish. So mark your calendar now for future tour announcements.