Living Outside The Lines – Hootie’s Gone Country!
At that moment, I still didn’t get it. The thought rolling around in my mind was, “Why is Darius Rucker doing covers of Hootie and the Blowfish?” It was my trusted advisor Google that finally solved the mystery.
By, Becky J Miller, Exclusive to Corridor News
Hootie and the Blowfish started as a bar band at the University of South Carolina (USC) in 1986. They built up a loyal following and in 1994 Atlantic records released their debut album, “Cracked Rear View.”
My connection with Hootie is unique. Well, at least I like to think so anyway. Columbia, home of USC is a little over 100 miles away from my hometown of Charleston. And while I left the state in 1983, a few years before the band started making their mark, one of my good friends who still lived there used to write about them in her letters to me. (Some of you may remember this pen and paper form of communication, before there was email??)
You see, not only was this up and coming band from South Carolina, the lead singer was born in raised in Charleston, just like me!! My friend followed them long before they were famous, and so vicariously through her, I did too. I’m sure she sent me copies of music she bought at their local concerts in bars like The Windjammer on Isle of Palms. If I could find them they might be worth $$???
Because of the Charleston connection, I will forever remember the name of Hootie’s first album, “Cracked Rear View”. I don’t even have go Google it, Scouts honor (and yes, I really was a Girl Scout). Hootie’s album and Reo Speedwagon’s, “High Infidelity” are probably the only album names I remember. And we won’t discuss the associative memory I have related to Reo Speedwagon.
After the hoopla of their first album, I don’t recall hearing much more about Hootie, but by 1994 I was married with two babies, and one more arrived two years later. Needless to say, there were more important matters at hand.
For me 2016 was The Year of the County Music Concert. In a span of about six months I attended Luke Bryan, Kenney Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, Darius Rucker and Rascal Flatts concerts. They were all fantastic.
Darius Rucker released his first country single, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” in 2008. It would be a few more years before the melodic voice of Darius captured my attention. Although I’d listened to country in my late high school years, it was decades before I tuned back in. After 2012’s “True Believers” I was hooked.
No matter how much I enjoyed Darius’ music, I had absolutely no inkling his connection to the South Carolina band, until I was sitting at his concert in the Austin 360 Amphitheater. Before singing, “Only Wanna Be with You” Rucker asked the audience, “Does anyone remember a band called, Hootie and the Blowfish?”
At that moment, I still didn’t get it. The thought rolling around in my mind was, “Why is Darius Rucker doing covers of Hootie and the Blowfish?” It was my trusted advisor Google that finally solved the mystery. You mean Darius is, or was Hootie?? For real? How did I not know this?? Adding insult to injury, anyone I queried on the subject, country music fan or not, was well aware of the Darius/Hootie connection.
What can I say? Now I know. And, since I like him so much, I’ll even consider forgiving his poor choice in universities. Go Clemson!!!
Until Next Time,
Becky J Miller ~ Warrior Princess
Becky J Miller is a contributor and is exclusive to SM Corridor News. You can read more of Becky’s columns in Lifestyle.
