Darius Rucker

Country artist Darius Rucker's music career started off with a very different sound. As the lead singer for the popular '90s rock band Hootie and Blowfish, he released five best-selling albums.

Post-Hootie, Rucker released an R&B album, 2002's Back to Then, before signing to Capitol Nashville six years later and releasing his debut country album Learn to Live in 2008.

The first single from the album, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" went to number one on the Hot Country Songs chart, making Rucker the first black artist to achieve that accolade since Charley Pride in 1983. He also became the first black artist to win the New Artist Award at the CMAs.

Rucker released his second, third and fourth country albums in quick succession: 2010's Charleston, SC, 1966, 2013's True Believers and 2014's Southern Style. In between those, he released the Christmas album Home for the Holidays in 2014.

The hit single "Wagon Wheel" off True Believers won the Grammy for Best Country Solo Performance.

In 2012, Rucker was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

His fifth country album When Was the Last Time came out in 2017. In 2018, Rucker was honored with the Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award at the ACM Awards.