Darius Rucker Announces Plans To Soon Retire
on Jul 18, 2026
Darius Rucker says his country music career will soon be coming to an end.
Rucker began his music journey as the frontman of Hootie & the Blowfish before becoming one of country music’s biggest solo stars. The band’s 1994 debut album, Cracked Rear View, became one of the best-selling studio albums of all time, selling more than 25 million copies worldwide. The album produced several hit singles, including “Hold My Hand,” “Let Her Cry,” “Only Wanna Be With You” and “Time.”
The South Carolina native launched his solo country career in 2008 with the album Learn to Live. Rucker was later inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2012. Over nearly four decades, the three-time Grammy Award winner has sold millions of records and broken barriers in both rock and country music.
Darius Rucker Teases An Upcoming Retirement
In a recent conversation with Dan Patrick on The Dan Patrick Show, Rucker shared that he’s just about ready to wrap things up for good.
“(I’m retiring) in two years. I might. I’ve been really looking at it. I played 110 shows last year… what am I doing?,” Rucker explained.
He says that he’s really starting to enjoy being home and living a more simple life, but wants to do one more final show with Hootie & the Blowfish.
“I still like making records and playing and everything, but I’m really starting to be at home a lot. I like being at home a lot. So I’m looking at maybe doing a tour. One more big ‘Hootie’ thing (and calling it).”
Rucker said the celebration had to end where it all began for the band, at the University of South Carolina, where the group first formed.
“If we call it, I’ve got to do one more Hootie thing. We have to finish at Williams-Brice Stadium. Our last show, when we say we’re done, it’s gotta be at Williams-Brice Stadium (in South Carolina).”
You can watch Darius Rucker talk more about his possible retirement plans below.
.@dariusrucker says he plans on retiring in 2 years, and teases a Hootie reunion.
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) July 17, 2026
"I played 110 shows last year… what am I doing?!" pic.twitter.com/gV5WGMdVry
