Imagine a private show with Darius Rucker…just him, singing to you. How cool would that be? Well that’s what Darius did recently for a bunch of veterans who were at the VA hospital in Nashville. Instead of doing one show for a group of patients, he went around to the rooms and sang for the people who were not feeling well enough to be up and around. He said it was an incredible experience for him to meet these people, and that the song that seemed to connect the most with people was his #1 hit “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.” Nice work, Darius.

The former pop/rocker is definitely a country boy now, and here’s one of the reasons why:  When Darius decided to ask a few of his country buddies to pitch in and help out in the recording studio, he went to Brad Paisley and Brad said “sure.”  He asked Vince Gill to throw in some vocals, and Vince said “no prob.”  Alison Krauss also gave a thumbs up.  But did anyone charge him a dime?  Nope!  In pop and rock music, most artists charge up to $30 grand for that type of  “favor”.  But in country music, they just do it because they like you, and that is that!

Do you ever feel like some of these big pop or rock stars who decide to cross over into country just sweet-talk us for a while, get lucky and then stop calling?  Bon Jovi.  Jessica Simpson (well maybe we didn’t call HER back.)  Anyway, this seems not to be the case with our pal Darius Rucker.  Already a jillionaire from his days as Hootie, he decided to go country a year ago, and started at the bottom of the ladder, just like a new artist.  That’s why it was cool that he got the New Artist award at the CMAs this week, and also why it’s cool to hear that he’s almost done writing his second country album!  Looks like Hootie is here to stay.