Darius Rucker bound for the CMAs

[Compound Egret]

Can't say I am driving around bumping anything DR has ever done in his old career with the Blowfish or his new one as a country star. Every once in a while I will see some feature about country stars at home and he's just there chillin' on the page after Reba. I think it's great that he's doing his thing in a Platinum way and wish him luck.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091110/ap_en_ot/us_music_rucker_and_pr...

By CHRIS TALBOTT, Associated Press Writer Chris Talbott, Associated Press Writer – Tue Nov 10, 9:05 am ET

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Darius Rucker was just a young boy with a love for "Hee Haw" and FM radio when he made a discovery — and a decision — that would shape the rest of his life.

"When I was 4, I just kind of found these Beatles 45s," Rucker said. "I think I just said to myself, 'I'm never going to let anybody tell me what I can listen to.' And I never did. When I was sitting there watching 'Hee Haw,' my brother didn't want to watch it. He was older than me but there was going to be a friggin' fight if they didn't let me watch 'Hee Haw.'"

That mindset has led the singer best known as the frontman of Hootie and the Blowfish to a career renaissance in country music marked by the kind of success no one could have predicted and few other black performers have experienced.

Rucker is up for two Country Music Association Awards and could join Charley Pride as the only African-Americans to win best male vocalist if he wins. And he has sold more than 1 million copies of his debut country CD, "Learn to Live."

Both milestones are receiving a lot of attention, and Rucker enjoys the comparisons.

"You can't help but smile when someone mentions your name in the same sentence as Charley Pride," Rucker said.

It's been nearly 40 years since Pride, the best-selling African-American performer in country music, won entertainer of the year in 1971 and male vocalist of the year in 1971-72, a feat not since repeated by a black artist. Rucker, who also has a chance to be the first black to win for new artist, will perform during Wednesday's live broadcast on ABC.

Pride's was one of the voices in that stewpot of influences that launched Rucker on his eclectic run through the rock and country charts.

"You have those memories of Charley Pride coming on 'Hee Haw' and doing his hits," Rucker said. "When I was 7, you could have Charley Pride and Buck Owens, Stevie Wonder and The Who on the same radio station."

Pride thought he would be the first in a string of black country music singers creating hits, and admits he is puzzled why it took so long for another to break through. (Ray Charles, a CMA Award nominee, sang some country songs and had a strong connection to the genre's audiences but was never considered country performer).

Pride has introduced fans to others over the years he thought might catch on, but never did.

"I don't know why," Pride said. "I think you need to go to the industry and ask them about that."

There are only two black performers in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum — Pride and DeFord Bailey, who was a member of the early Grand Ole Opry cast.

Some black singers like Lionel Richie, Solomon Burke, Esther Phillips and Al Green had fleeting success in country music on their way to other destinations, Country Hall of Fame historian Jay Orr said. And relatively recently, performers such as Stoney Edwards, Big Al Downing, Cleve Francis, Rissi Palmer and Cowboy Troy have registered on the country charts.

Pride figures he cleared most of the obstacles facing those who followed him. Signed by Chet Atkins in the midst of the civil rights movement, the platinum-voiced Mississippi native has had dozens of No. 1 hits and sold tens of millions of albums.

Perhaps his most significant achievement was disproving those who thought country's heavily Southern audience wouldn't support black performers at a time when race relations were marked by violence.

"I never had even one hoot call from the audience in all these years," Pride said. "Not one iota of hoot calls. I know it happened to Jackie Robinson when he was in that same kind of position, sort of. I never had to go through nothing like that. Once I started singing they didn't care."

Rucker's transition in this era has been seamless, too. The honey-coated baritone's music outweighs everything else and he's had three straight No. 1 singles.

"It seems clear to me that if I didn't deliver songs that country music fans wanted to hear, then radio wasn't going to play them," Rucker said. "

No matter the reason, Orr said Pride and Rucker stand alone in terms of album sales by African-Americans.

Rucker's not sure his success will clear the way for other black performers to mine country music for hits. But he hopes it has opened some minds.

"I don't know if I proved it can work," he said. "But maybe someone will give a second listen now instead of just saying no."

___

[Compound Egret]

He won. Good for him.

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/darius-rucker-bec...

Darius Rucker Becomes Newcomer Of The Year At 43

By Madhuri Dey
ruckerNashville, Nov. 12 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Darius Rucker became the surprise winner at the 43rd annual Country Music Awards. At 43, he obviously left the others as far behind him in age as he did in talent. The former lead singer of the country band “Hootie and the Blowfish” won the award for the best new artist of the year. He became the first black American to be honored with this award and also the second African-American to win a major individual award after Charlie Pride.

Rucker took the award with pride and joy gleaming on his face. He started his speech by saying, “What a night!” He went on to thank all his fans and listeners who made the win possible. Mostly, he thanked country radio to have given him the chance. It was obvious from his speech that he did not expect the chance, let alone the award, which was indeed difficult, as he said, for a singer from Charleston, S.C. He expressed his gratitude towards his wife and his three children. He revealed that the head of Capitol Records had called him crazy, saying that his idea of leaving the band and striking out on his own would never pay off. Rucker seemed pleased, and not without reason, to have proved them wrong.

All the critics agreed that Rucker’s win was well deserved and that there is no doubt about his talent. There was an unanimous decision that the singer would continue to present the world with one great country song after another. His enormous talent has allowed him to churn out hit after hit like “Alright”, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” and “It Won’t Be Like This For Long.”

[LesYpersound]

hootie!
i'm kind of curious what his music sounds like. if it's like the carolina chocolate drops that ain't too bad.

[Compound Egret]

LesYpersound said:

hootie!
i'm kind of curious what his music sounds like. if it's like the carolina chocolate drops that ain't too bad.

[PolarVibez]

I remember when he did a "soul" album on Hidden Beach, Jill Scott's label. Wasn't exactly a success. His voice is definitely more suited for "twangier" more "guitar janglier" music. So he went back to what he does best. You gotta respect a man that stays in his lane.

[Rosenda]

Glad he found what he's good with and branched out into something else with great success.
I personally find him a very boring singer and just don't like his voice sound. But I seriously applaud a successful hardworking brother with such years of experience able to make a living at doing his creative thing. Right on for Darius, truly.*