Darius Rucker stopped by The Bobby Bones Show to talk about why his new album is his most personal piece of work yet, why he named it after his mom, reveal a new project he’s working on with a new band and more!
Carolyn's Boy, Rucker’s seventh solo album, is out today (Oct. 6.) It’s a tribute to his roots and his most personal record. He named it after his late mother and put a picture of her as the cover art. She only got to see Rucker’s early days performing at clubs and died in 1989 never getting to see his success. He admitted it was tough when things started to really take off that she wasn’t around to witness any of it, and it’s been something that really bothered him. When he dropped out of college at the end of his junior year to pursue his music career, he was so scared to tell his mother, but she was extremely supportive of him and told him to go for it. She knew all he wanted to do was sing and got to see him and his band sell out clubs, but never got to see him sign a record deal in 1992 and make it big. He wishes she could’ve seen when he sold a million record in one week and other professional accomplishments he achieved because he knows she’d be his biggest cheerleader.
His mother was a big fan of R&B and gospel music, and it was always playing in their house. She was a big singer at their church and was much better than him. He thinks part of the reason why he wanted to sing was from watching her love for it. He said if she was still around today, he would’ve given her a house twice as big as his because she was such an amazing mother.
When he went to the studio to start recording this album, he was having a bad mental health day. He was in a bad mood and said, “At the end of the day I’m just my mother’s boy.” It snapped him out of his bad mood and knew he was going to name the album after her. He thinks if she was still around, she would be most proud of his longevity and how he’s still making music and touring 30 years later. It’s also what he is most proud of. He said the key is having good friends to support you and have great songs.
All of his kids are out of the house either in college or recently graduated. He said it was weird when the youngest left for college, but he is extremely proud of all of his children. He’s been spending a lot of time in Tennessee and lives on a golf course, so he’s been playing a lot. He lives right on the third hole and in the evening will sometimes just go out there and chip around and practice his swing. His handicap right now is 3.9, and earlier this year he got down to a 1.7. He said he lives for playing golf and wakes up every morning with it on his mind. He enjoys golf so much because it’s never the same and enjoys being out there with his friends and constantly trying to get better. Rucker is a big South Carolina Gamecocks fan and at the athletic department there he built a studio for the students which is something he is very proud of. He thinks the Gamecocks are on their way up in the SEC and wants to see them win a championship once.
Rucker is constantly listening and writing songs. As a songwriter, it is hard for him to listen to and pick songs he didn’t write, but when he chooses one, he knows he truly loves it. He referenced his 2016 song, “If I Told You,” a song he didn’t write, but as soon as he heard it, it felt like it was speaking directly about his life, and he knew he had to cut it.
Ashley Gorley is the first songwriter he heard where it felt like they were speaking for him. They think exactly the same and when they get together to write, Rucker will give him three words and tell him to change them and make them better and he always is able to create exactly what he wants to say. When he was younger, it was the group R.E.M because songs like “World Leader Pretend” related to him. He got to know the members of R.E.M well and revealed an exclusive on The Bobby Bones Show. R.E.M. member, Mike Mills, guitar player Rick van Bokhoven, and the drummer from The Black Crowes, Steve Gorman, have formed a band and are currently creating a new rock record!