Keepin' it Country Media & Radio » Darius Rucker

Darius Rucker not invited to CMA Fest

Lydia Picknell — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:15:07 +0000

Here’s some news that might be surprising to country fans. Darius Rucker won’t be appearing at CMA Fest this year… because he wasn’t invited. Fans looking to catch a performance from the Hootie & The Blowfish frontman are in luck: he’ll be performing at the CMT Awards this year during CMA Fest week, and he’ll also be holding his annual St. Jude’s benefit show at the Wildhorse Saloon on June 3rd. His “Darius Rucker & Friends” concert is sold out.

The Grand Ole Opry member let fans know himself that he wasn’t invited this year via Twitter:

“@TES112980: @dariusrucker Are you going to be at CMA Fest this year?” Not invited

Darius is currently promoting his latest single “Wagon Wheel,” from his new album “True Believers” which is now available at both digital and physical retailers.

Are you disappointed to find out Darius wasn’t invited to be part of CMA Fest this year?

VIDEO: Darius Rucker – Wagon Wheel

Lydia Picknell — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:58:51 +0000

Capitol Nashville artist Darius Rucker debuted the video for his latest single, “Wagon Wheel,” last week on A&E network’s “DUCK DYNASTY” FACEBOOK page. The Hootie & The Blowfish lead singer will be releasing his third solo country album “True Believers” on May 21st.

His brand new music video features cameo appearances by Lady Antebellum‘s Charles Kelley, and stars from the hit series Duck Dynasty. Check out the official music video below and let us know what you think. Are you excited for Opry Member Darius Rucker’s record?

Join Your Favorite Country Artists in George Straight’s Sixty for Sixty Movement

Nicole Piering — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 19:09:04 +0000

Many of the biggest artists in country music, including Little Big Town, Scotty McCreery, Darius Rucker, Lauren Alaina, Kacey Musgraves and more, are joining together to pay tribute to George Strait and they want YOU to join them in the “Sixty for Sixty“ movement. The campaign’s goal is to make “Give It All We Got Tonight” George Strait’s 60th #1 single, while he’s still 60 years old.

Watch the video below and become a part of modern Country music history. Join the “Sixty For Sixty” movement!

Interview: Trey Graham, Everybody!

Jennifer Swirsky — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 01:41:52 +0000

A few of us have followed Trey Graham since about 2005 — back when he hit the road as background vocalist on Kelly Clarkson’s tour. Trey won the hearts of Kelly’s fans with his stellar vocals and endearing personality. After taking a slight detour for a bit, Trey is back on the road toward a music career, and we couldn’t be more excited to see where this journey takes him! We caught up with Trey and learned about his past, his present (he is currently auditioning for NBC’s The Voice!), and predict great things for his future. Without further ado, Trey Graham everybody!

For those readers who may be ‘meeting’ you for the first time in this blog, can you give us a little bit of a back story as to how you began performing/writing?

Music was always a part of my family growing up . We listened to music and sang throughout every day. I started performing and writing when I was a junior in high school with a couple of my buddies, all of whom are still involved in the music business to this day. After graduating high school, music was a hobby that I thoroughly enjoyed but never thought seriously about pursuing it as a career. It was during my senior year of college that changed that. A very good friend of mine that has had great success in the industry called with his vote of confidence, and he suggested that I move out to LA and give it a go. When I got out to LA, he introduced me to Kelly Clarkson. She is such a truly kind and sincere person. By the end of our first day hanging out, she offered me a spot singing backup for her on her next tour. It was a pretty amazing experience. I went on two tours with Kelly and that’s when I caught the bug. I knew that I wanted to pursue music as a full time career. So, ever since then, I was writing, singing, traveling; trying to make something happen. It’s been a wonderful ride.

How would you describe your musical style?

This is such a hard one to answer. I have so many different genres that I like to perform that it’s hard to put a label on what my musical style is. If I had to describe it, I would say that I am a pop rock singer with country and R&B influences.

We know that you have experience on a big tour. What is one thing you took away from that tour that has helped you grow as an artist?

Sincerity. Vulnerability. Work ethic. Humility. Graciousness. Joy… wait, did you say one thing? I learned so much on those tours that I can credit a large portion of who I am as an artist to the people that I worked with during that time.

You have performed in huge arenas and in small, intimate venues. Which do you prefer and why?

Each one has its own benefits. I would say that I’m partial to huge arenas merely for the fear factor. I feel much more comfortable playing in front of large groups. I think it’s that vulnerability that makes intimate shows so great, but it also makes them much more frightening.

You took a few years off from pursuing your music career. What made you get back on the musical path?

It was another phone call from a good buddy. He had been thinking about me and my story and felt that The Voice might be a great opportunity to give it another shot. It took a little convincing, because I know how taxing this business can be. But now I’m in it with the full support of my family and friends and I’m looking forward to the next chapter of this story.

We have heard that you are in the process of auditioning for NBC’s “The Voice” (go become a “fan” on his Facebook page, people!). How do you prepare for that type of audition?

For me, I hadn’t really sung in almost 2 years. So a lot of the preparation has to be vocal conditioning. I am just trying to get my wind back, my strength back. I get together with my old band about twice a week and just sing for hours. Hopefully I’ll be ready to go in a couple of weeks.

Can you give us any hints about your audition(s)? Anything at all? Maybe even whose chair you most want to see turn around?

I’m looking forward to the audition process. There is a long road before I would even get in front of the judges. I don’t necessarily want to play favorites with the judges, but of course Blake Shelton would be my number one choice. We have quite a number of connections that I would love to discuss with him but, more importantly, he’s a proven winner!

What other projects are you currently working on?

Currently my focus is on The Voice. I do think that working on a few side projects will be coming up shortly. I’d love to do a Texas country record with my brothers. I’m also interested in doing a pop rock record with some of the players from my original band. In all honesty, the future is wide open.

If you could work with anyone in music, who would be your dream collaboration?

I’d love to work with a number of artists for a number of different reasons. Writing, style, voice, etc. My dream collaborations would range from Vince Gill to Darius Rucker to John Legend. It’s too difficult to pick just one!

Quick-fire round:

1. Ravens or 49′ers? - 49ers are the better team, but I’m rooting for the Ravens (AFC)
2. All-time favorite country song? - The Dance – Garth Brooks
3. If you could open for anybody, who would it be? - Kelly Clarkson, she crosses so many genres and she has amazing fans.
4. Guilty pleasure? Swiss Cake Rolls (perfection)

5. One item you can’t leave home without (other than your American Express, of course)? My keys.

6. Shameless plug of Trey Graham … ready, go! - I’m going to steal a quote that Paco Estrada said, “Trey Graham’s voice is natural, organic, honest, and true. The most important ingredient is his never wavering integrity, and that’s what I hear most when he sings. Knowing his soul is a great privilege.”

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us, Trey! We wish you the best of luck during your auditions for The Voice and can’t wait to see where that road takes you!

Country Music Blog Rodeo: The Year of the Country Crossover

Nicole Piering — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:32:19 +0000

Over the last few years, country music has certainly expanded beyond the old stereotype of boots, big hair and ten-gallon hats. Artists like Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum have huge pop hits, the Zac Brown Band & Jason Aldean sell out Madison Square Garden and the Scotty McCreerys and Tate Stevens of the world rise to fame via televised talent shows. On the flip side, Mumford & Sons get played on country radio, UK-lite-rocker Ed Sheeran tours with Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson performs on the CMA’s. Over the last few years, it has become commonplace for country musicians to dabble outside of their genre, and if January of 2013 is any indication, this trend is only going to continue into 2013.

Interestingly enough, I grew up claiming that I loved all music “except country.” (Seriously – I think I wrote that on my Myspace…don’t judge me, I’m from NY.) However, after being taken to see Rascal Flatts at Madison Square Garden, my perspective on the genre completely changed and I was hooked. Now I’ll listen to anything from Garth to Reba to Taylor to Jason. However, if you were to ask a purist of country music, they’d probably argue that Rascal Flatts is just a boy (err, man) band in cowboy boots, Taylor is a dubstep-loving pop act and Jason’s renegade hick-hop style bastardizes country music. Yet, on the heels of Aldean selling out a show at New York’s Madison Square Garden in mere minutes, I’d argue that the biggest development of country music in 2013 will be the pure magnitude of its reach and ability to cross over, while also openly welcoming those who dabble and stretch the ideas of what typical “country” is.

Although the country community doesn’t completely accept anyone who simply tosses in a twang (Jessica Simpson, I’m looking at you), its doors have certainly opened more freely in recent years, a trend which only seems to be continuing into 2013. It didn’t take much work for Darius Rucker to go from Hootie to honkytonk because he did so genuinely. Likewise, Kelly Clarkson garnered an, albeit hotly-contested, CMA nomination and performance slot without even releasing a country album. Likewise, The Voice Season 3 winner, Cassadee Pope joined Team Blake and recently signed with Universal Republic Nashville, despite the fact that pre-Voice, she fronted a pop-punk band that toured with Fall Out Boy. Finally, as I write this, “I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons is getting spins on country radio stations, while “Ho Hey” by the Lumineers is on CMT, only further proving the new found ability of country music to play nice with other genres.

The reach of country music will only continue into 2013, so why put limitations on it? ABC’s Nashville has put music city on the map in a huge way, Keith Urban finally represents the genre on American Idol and Blake Shelton was named Entertainer of the Year at the CMA’s due in large to his hijinks on both The Voice and Twitter. It’s time that country music fans accept the fact that country music isn’t our little secret anymore, and embrace the fact that we just may have to share our biggest stars and their music.

In many ways, it’s highly possible that 2013 could be the year that CMT Crossroads becomes way more than just a TV show, as country music is truly blending beyond traditional genre lines, and as a fan, I can’t say that I mind. Speaking as someone who once claimed to dislike country music, I can freely admit that I have no problem hearing Hunter Hayes on my favorite pop station sandwiched between Fun. and Pitbull. I have no problem with country acts winning every reality singing competition out there, and I certainly have no problem with going to see my favorite country artists at the iconic Madison Square Garden. Alternately, as a country blogger and true fan of the genre, I have no problem hearing Mumford & Sons sandwiched between Trisha Yearwood and Eric Church on country radio. I also have no problem with artists like Kelly Clarkson or Jewel transitioning from pop to country. Lastly, I take no issue with going to see a country act like Kenny Chesney and being introduced to an opener who may not be country, but is certainly brilliant, like Grace Potter.

Frankly, it’s an exciting time to be a country fan, and I’m buckling up to see what 2013 has in store for both our favorite genre and artists as country music explodes further into the mainstream. As true country fans, we can take pride in knowing that long before The Voice, Blake was singing about “Austin” & “Ol’ Red,” while Miranda Lambert & Chris Young were once on Nashville Star, a show most don’t even remember existed. Although it may be tough to have to share our faves with fair-weather fans, we can at least take pride in saying “I knew them first” when our favorites explode into superstars.

Blog Rodeo Roundup: See What Everyone Else Is Saying About Country Music in 2013!

CountryMusicTattleTale.com: 2013 Will Bring A New Sound to Country Music!

FocusOnThe615.com: Artist to Watch in 2013!

TwangNation.com: Americana’s Influence On Country Music!

UrbanCountryNews.com: Roots On The Rise – The Most Exciting Music Trend of 2013!

UkCOUNTRYmusic.net: Country2Country Festival-A Potential Turning Point for US Country Music In The Uk!

CountryMusicPride.com: Country Music In 2013!

ForTheCountryRecord.com: Country Music & Twitter!

CountryMusicNewsBlog.com (HaleighT): Word of Mouth in 2013!

CountryMusicNewsBlog.com (WhiskeyChick): 2013 – The Year of Social Media In Country Music!

CountryMusicNewsBlog.com (MissMolly): 2013 North of Nashville – The Ozarks Go Country!

CMchatLive.com: 2013 – Insights From Country Music Industry Experts!

CountryMusicIsLove.com: Country Artists Passing The Torch In 2013!

Brad Paisley Honored By ASCAP

Jennifer Swirsky — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:35:20 +0000

Last night, to kick off Country Music Association (“CMA”) Awards week, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (“ASCAP”) recognized the most successful songwriters of 2012 during an awards ceremony at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. During the ceremony, Brad Paisley received one of the biggest nods of the evening, being named ASCAP’s Songwriter/Artist of the Year. Brad was honored for his hit songs “Camouflage,” “Old Alabama,” and “Remind Me.”

Ben Hayslip was awarded Songwriter of the Year for his co-writing efforts on Blake Shelton‘s “Honey Bee,” Luke Bryan‘s “I Don’t Want This Night to End,” Martina McBride‘s “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” and Craig Morgan‘s “This Ole Boy.” Other honors also went to Dierks Bentley, David Nail, and Darius Rucker. And, as a surprise, the King of Country, George Strait, showed up to pick up an award as well.

CMA Awards week continues tonight with the Broadcast Music, Inc. (“BMI”) awards. Thursday night is the event everyone is awaiting — the CMA Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, which airs live from Nashville at 8:00pm ET on ABC.

Congratulations to all the award winners! We can’t wait to see who takes home the highly coveted CMA Awards on Thursday night!

VIDEO: Darius Rucker Invited To Become Member of Opry

Lydia Picknell — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:30:52 +0000

Darius Rucker had quite a surprise waiting for him at his Grand Ole Opry performance last night. The Hootie and the Blowfish front-man was asked to become a member of the Opry during a cute question-and-answer session during his performance. After pretending to be an “Opry” fan in the audience who had a two-part question, Brad Paisley asked Darius if he still thought he was the worst poker player in the world. Then he asked the “True Believers” singer if he wanted to become the latest member of the Opry.

Watch the moving video below and check out Darius’ reaction to the invitation. His induction will take place on October 16th.

VIDEO: Country Stars Unite For St. Jude’s

Lydia Picknell — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:50:12 +0000

In what might just be the world’s biggest cover of The Beatles’ “Hey Jude,” stars from all over the United States have teamed up to help promote the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. From the Nashville side of things, appearing in the below video is Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Big & Rich, Kellie Pickler, Darius Rucker and Alabama. The video also gets a little help from Robin Williams, Jimmy Kimmel, Jordin Sparks, Ellen DeGeneres, Jennifer Aniston, Betty White and more!

Take a look below and see if you can name all the cameos:

Darius Rucker Launches Fantasy Football Game

Lydia Picknell — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:23:40 +0000

“Come Back Song” singer Darius Rucker is launching a brand new college football game for his fans. The new College Fantasy Football game is called Pigskin Fantasy U (PFU), and its a spinoff of the original game where participants will be able to draft entire college football teams instead of single players. Each week, the participants will select teams to bench or play and points will be awarded for starting teams that win their games.

Darius, who is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and he’s a big Gamecocks fan. He’s been named the Celebrity Commissioner of PFU.

“I can’t wait for football season to start.”Watching games on Saturday is one of my favorite things to do and adding Pigskin Fantasy U to the mix is going to be awesome. My buddies and I needed another reason to talk about football and trash talk each other.”

To get in on the action in PFU, you can register for free until October 31st on pigskinfantasyu.com. Just like original fantasy football games, participants can play against their friends in their own custom leagues, and participate in a live draft to get their teams together.

Darius’ new single “True Believers” from his upcoming brand new studio album is out on country radio right now.

Darius Rucker Renews Publishing Contract

Lydia Picknell — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:28:49 +0000

Darius Rucker has renewed his publishing contract with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) this week. The worldwide publishing agreement includes work on his upcoming album due out early 2013, as well as his previous country solo efforts “Learn To Live,” and “Charleston, SC 1973.”

“We’re thrilled to extend our already successful relationship with Darius Rucker. Darius has raised the bar with his upcoming album and we look forward to many more years of hit songs, including the newest single, ‘True Believers,’” said UMPG Nashville EVP/GM Kent Earls.

Darius is just as excited to stay with UMPG. He shares:

“UMPG has been a partner from the beginning– since ‘Learn To Live’– and they are as passionate about my music as I am. For me, that’s what’s it’s all about. I can hardly wait to share this new music with the fans.”

Darius’ new single, “True Believers,” is available right now on iTunes. Have you picked up your copy yet? What’s your favorite Darius song?