These days, Darius Rucker is worth millions and has shared the stage with everyone from Lionel Richie to Adele and has even golfed with Tiger Woods. But where did he start out, and how did he wind up a millionaire?
How Did Darius Rucker Become Famous?
Most fans today know Darius Rucker as a country singer who rubs elbows with artists like Brad Paisley and Lady A and gets teary-eyed on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. But before that? Darius was on a very different path.
That's because back in the '80s, Darius Rucker grew to fame as the lead vocalist (and guitarist) of a rock group. He was one of the founding members of Hootie & the Blowfish, a prolific and still relatively well-known band.
Though he later turned down the country path, stating that he would produce many country albums and wasn't just dabbling, Rucker has continued to write, sing, and play with his Hootie bandmates. And on the country side? He was practically unknown.
The group even released an album in 2019, though their song "I Only Wanna Be With You" is probably still their most famous. (Post Malone even sang a cover of it in early 2021!)
And fortunately for fans of Rucker and the rest of the group, the lead singer has noted that the band has no plans to permanently hang up their rock hats.
How Much Money Is Hootie & The Blowfish Worth?
If Darius has so many millions, what about his bandmates? His fellow artists, Dean Felber, Mark Bryan, and Jim Sonefeld, make up the rest of the Hootie rock group, and they've been jamming together for decades.
Interestingly, Darius remains the richest of the band -- but not by much. While Jim Sonefeld reportedly has a worth of about $5 million, and Dean Felber's worth is sub-$2M, Mark Bryan seems to be wealthier.
Various sources suggest he's worth anywhere from $13 million to $37 million. The thing is, there aren't enough figures out there to really pin down a reliable number. But, it's safe to say that all of the members of Hootie & the Blowfish have made a decent living doing what they love.
How Much Is Darius Rucker Worth?
These days, sources report that Darius Rucker's net worth is about $12 million (but some say he's worth more like $14 million). Over the years, he's earned plenty of cash from his musical releases, concerts, and other creative gigs.
In fact, his album sales have totaled hundreds of thousands each year, even after he branched out into a solo career. But in 2019, he reconvened with the Hootie guys and had a surprise sell-out concert at Madison Square Garden.
Obviously, that earned the entire group some cash, not that Darius really needs the money. Luckily for the singer, he seems to really love entertaining and giving back to his fans.
How Else Does Darius Rucker Make Money?
There's more to Darius Rucker's millions than just music. Like other celebrities, Darius Rucker has brand partnerships that help pad his bottom line. For one thing, that connection to Tiger Woods likely helped him earn a few bucks.
It's not just their friendship that got Darius out on the green, though. The country crooner joined the PGA Tour one year as a brand ambassador. But even before that, he became a partner with a sports agency that represents golfers.
Darius even planned to make that part of his regular work, aiming to cut back a bit on concerts to make time for sports-related endeavors.
All of those pursuits have helped build up Darius' net worth, and he still has plenty of cash coming in these days.
How Does Darius Rucker Spend His $12 Million?
One of the most interesting and endearing things about Darius Rucker is that he seems so down to earth. Not only does he seem to care about his fans and making time for live concerts, but he's also given a ton of time and money to charity.
Rucker's philanthropy is well-documented; he and his band created the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation to raise money for public education.
Plus, he's been a board member and fundraised for a hospital, and hosts an annual event for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Darius even recorded a song with a patient from St. Jude's!
Like his friend Brad Paisley, who opened a free grocery store, Darius has also been the celebrity face of other programs, including one that gave veterans free homes. While many programs are funded by other sources, fans can assume that Darius isn't above tossing some of his own earnings into the pot.
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