Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
  • Guitars
  • Amps
  • Pedals
  • Drums
  • Synths
  • Software
  • Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Recording
  • Buyer’s guides
  • Live
  • DJ
  • Advice
  • Acoustic
  • Bass
  • About Us
  • More
    • Reviews
Magazines
  • Computer Music
  • Electronic Musician
  • Future Music
  • Keyboard Magazine
  • Guitarist
  • Guitar Techniques
  • Total Guitar
  • Bass Player
More
  • Purdie on the Purdie shuffle
  • Type beats
  • 86000+ free music samples
  • How to make an AI cover song
  • Three-chord trick

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  1. News

Darius Rucker talks Gibsons, country and how Kansas changed his life

By Emily Butler
( Acoustic Magazine )
published 1 August 2017

The ex-Blowfish guitarist outlines his latest solo effort

Introduction
(Image credit: Press)

Introduction

Ahead of his performance at this year’s Country 2 Country Festival and his following headline tour, ex-Hootie & The Blowfish vocalist and guitarist Darius Rucker, lifts the lid on his upcoming country release.

Despite Darius Rucker's rock past, those paying attention will know he is no stranger to country music

Despite Darius Rucker's rock past, those paying attention will know he is no stranger to country music, having kickstarted that era of his career back in 2008 on the Capitol Nashville label. 

Nor, indeed, is he a stranger to the Country 2 Country Festival, having played it in 2013. As he gears up for this year’s installment of that event at the O2 Arena, Rucker is already thinking about what is set to be a packed festival season.

“We’ve got a busy spring and summer this year,” he says. “I’ve got Country 2 Country and then I’ll be playing at Tortuga Music Festival and Pepsi Spring Jam in April down in Florida. 

“There’s also the New Orleans Jazz Festival and iHeart Country Festival in May, and we’re not even done there. This summer we’ll be hitting festivals in Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach, California, Michigan, Delaware, Washington, Minnesota, and then ending in Iowa.”

Page 1 of 4
Page 1 of 4
New material
(Image credit: ddp USA/REX/Shutterstock)

New material

Working on new material for his fifth studio album to be released later this year, Rucker hints at what themes and topics will be covered on the record.

Usually, if I wrote it, it’s probably pretty close to something that really happened or something that I really thought

“It’s gonna be a country record, and there are different themes and different ideas. This record is going to be based on a lot of different stuff, from songs like If I Told You To to a cool cover with Luke Bryan and Charles Kelly. I’m really excited about it,” Rucker says. 

“Inspiration for my records usually comes from my life and writing songs about things I know about. Usually, if I wrote it, it’s probably pretty close to something that really happened or something that I really thought.”

We further pick the guitarist’s brains and question if fans will be shocked or surprised by it.

“I think fans are going to be really surprised and really happy with the new record; it has some great songs and a slightly different sound. It’s gonna be a lot of fun, and I think my fans will be really happy,” Rucker says. But for anyone new to his music, what can they expect?

“These days I play country music, and my guitar playing is simple and straightforward. I’m a rhythm guitar player, so I’m all about fitting into the band where I’m supposed to be.”

Page 2 of 4
Page 2 of 4
Dust and Darlin
(Image credit: Press)

Dust and Darlin

Although Rucker’s music sits well within the country realm - with Hello Darlin by Conway Twitty being the first country song that ever affected him - he says that he grew up listening to pretty much everything. 

Dust In The Wind's opening guitar was what really made me want to pick up the instrument and start playing

“Probably the first artist I remember hearing in my life was Al Green. When I was a kid I would listen to a lot of AM radio so I heard guys like Kenny Rogers and Buck Owens. I also watched a lot of Hee Haw [an American TV variety show that ran for 25 series] when I was a kid so country music has always been around for me.”

However, it was Dust in The Wind by Kansas that made him want to reach out for the guitar. “That opening guitar was what really made me want to pick up the instrument and start playing.”

Learning the guitar at the age of 19 and teaching himself how to play, Rucker says that he learned to play songs in a few months, picking up the basics pretty quickly. The first ever guitar he bought was a Yamaha he found at a pawn shop, which he unfortunately gave away. Which guitarists were his idols in those early days of his guitar playing? 

“I didn’t really start looking up to musical idols until I was older and really getting into guitar, but definitely Peter Buck and James Taylor; those are the two guys for me.”

Page 3 of 4
Page 3 of 4
Go-to Gibsons
(Image credit: ddp USA/REX/Shutterstock)

Go-to Gibsons

Rucker has been long acquainted with his 1942 Gibson J-45, along with a number of other Gibsons his guitar collection boasts, using it for all of his live performances and song-writing. He talks me through some of the other guitars in his collection. 

My National sounds like heaven, so I love that one; Edward McCain gave it to me for my 50th birthday

“I’ve got a lot of guitars,” he admits. “My Gibsons are really special to me and I have a National too. I collect 0018 Martins because of an old Nanci Griffith song called Listen to the Radio, so I have like five or six of those. Pre-54 is the oldest one. 

“My National sounds like heaven, so I love that one as well; Edward McCain gave it to me for my 50th birthday. It’s an old, old guitar that sounds like an old guitar and sounds so full.”

Taking only four acoustics out on tour with him, Rucker tells me a bit about the Darius Signature guitar, which is one that’ll be joining him on the road.

“It’s a Gibson, and I love it because it sounds so good live. I can beat it up and it never loses its tune. It’s me - it’s what I like to play live. There is a custom pick guard that’s garnet to match the colour of my South Carolina Gamecocks [a college basketball team]. I love it; it’s my guitar.”

Page 4 of 4
Page 4 of 4
Emily Butler
Social Links Navigation
We're the UK's only print publication devoted to acoustic guitar. image
We're the UK's only print publication devoted to acoustic guitar.
Subscribe for star interviews, essential gear reviews and killer tuition!
More Info
More about acoustic
Ry Cooder performing

Ry Cooder's top 3 tips for slide guitar success: "Get you some control"

null

Understand time signatures with this easy guitar lesson

Latest
TC Electronic Ampworx pedals

TC Electronic Ampworx Vintage Series Combo Deluxe 65', DC30 and JIMS 45 preamp pedals review

See more latest ►
Most Popular
Sammy Ash, the US gear retail legend who gave the Tube Screamer its name, dies aged 65

By Jonathan Horsley19 September 2023

Cindy Blackman Santana tackles the iconic In The Air Tonight drum fill as she joins Chris Stapleton and Snoop Dogg on a new version of the song for ESPN’s Monday Night Football

By Ben Rogerson19 September 2023

10 artists share 50 ways to make your music better: "If something in your mix sounds crap, it’s probably you - not the gear!"

By Matt Mullen19 September 2023

1997 interview reveals that Aphex Twin owned a tank, wanted to buy a submarine and used the vault of the former bank he owned as a reverb: "It would be great for parties"

By Andy Jones19 September 2023

IK Multimedia’s Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE giveaway means that everyone can have a $150 orchestral plugin for free

By Ben Rogerson19 September 2023

Issue 401 of Future Music is out now

By Future Music19 September 2023

Fantastic (stock) plugins and how to use them: Logic Pro Delay Designer

By "OSC" Steve19 September 2023

Andy Summers seems surprised his new signature pedal with Electro Harmonix is a flanger: "I would have called it a chorus"

By Rob Laing18 September 2023

Soundbetter’s Butterfly Effect plugin is a vibey ambient reverb that can create instant meditative music from your melodic playing

By Ben Rogerson18 September 2023

"It's become so elitist" – Joe Bonamassa weighs in on players being priced out of the vintage guitar and amp market

By Rob Laing18 September 2023

6 of the best free vintage gear-inspired plugins

By Andy Jones18 September 2023

  1. Marty Friedman
    1
    Marty Friedman’s guitar teacher told him to take a bong hit every time he played an exercise correctly, but the ex-Megadeth guitarist has better advice for students
  2. 2
    6 of the best classic tape emulation plugins
  3. 3
    Can Waves’ new AI Online Mastering service give your music a pro-level polish?
  4. 4
    "It's become so elitist" – Joe Bonamassa weighs in on players being priced out of the vintage guitar and amp market
  5. 5
    YouTuber Alex Ball gets his hands on Tony Banks’ old Roland JD-800 synth and finds that it still contains his Genesis tour patches from the ‘90s
  1. A Banks preset bank, you might say
    1
    YouTuber Alex Ball gets his hands on Tony Banks’ old Roland JD-800 synth and finds that it still contains his Genesis tour patches from the ‘90s
  2. 2
    "The minute I stopped mixing my stuff, I became my most creative": Should electronic artists mix their own tracks?
  3. 3
    6 of the best classic tape emulation plugins
  4. 4
    Can Waves’ new AI Online Mastering service give your music a pro-level polish?
  5. 5
    Thump One is a free synth plugin that blends a glitchy wavetable engine with a Roland supersaw-style oscillator

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.