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As Darius Rucker‘s latest hit, “Beers and Sunshine,” nears the top of the chart, the follow-up to 2017’s When Was the Last Time can’t be far behind. 

For his next record, the Hootie and the Blowfish superstar didn’t shy away from tough topics. 

“With everything going on in the world and everything going on in my life, it was easy to find stuff to write about,” he says candidly. “And this record, you know, a lot of it’s really personal.”

Last July, Darius and wife Beth Leonard announced they were ending their nearly 20-year marriage, adding they “remain close friends and parenting partners and continue to be each other’s biggest cheerleaders.”

Darius confesses some of his new material simply hit too close to home.

“I wrote a couple of songs that… actually we cut one of ’em,” he reveals, “And I said, ‘I can’t put that on the record.’ It was just too personal… I just realized that I can’t put that on… And so we took that one off.”

“But that happens when you’re really writing everything and you’re just saying everything,” he reflects, “and then… you hear it back and you say, ‘I guess that’s a little bit too much.'”

Ultimately, Darius believes his next work is some of his very best.

“I have really had a blast making it,” he continues, “And I’ve been listening to it a lot, and it’s just one of those records that, you know, I said a lot of things I wanted to say…”

“It’s probably my most mature record of my career,” he adds. “It’s really a record that I’m really proud of. I can’t wait for you guys to hear it.”

So far, Darius hasn’t announced the title or release date of his new album. 

By Stephen Hubbard
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