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Product Summary
Song Listing
| As the front man of Hootie & The Blowfish, Darius Rucker has already experienced success, including two Grammy awards. Now, embracing his country roots and a music he has always wanted to make, Darius is attracting the attention of new fans through his debut country single, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," and his new country album, Learn to Live. |
Album Notes and Credits
Notes & Personnel Info |
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Personnel: Phillip Stein, Melissa Fuller, Ann Inman, Waylon Weatherholt, Frank Randazzo, Bradley Clark, Sarah Ross, Brad Clark (vocals); Pat Buchanan (guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar, mandolin); B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar, resonator guitar); Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin); Ilya Toshinsky (acoustic guitar, mandolin); Brent Mason (electric guitar, baritone guitar); J.T. Corenflos, Brad Paisley (electric guitar); Dan Dugmore (steel guitar, dobro); Mike Johnson (steel guitar); Ron Block (banjo); Aubrey Haynie (mandolin, fiddle); Kristin Wilkinson, Monisa Angell (violin); Anthony LaMarchina (viola, cello); Mary Kathryn Van Osdale, Pamela Sixfin, David Davidson , David Angell (strings); Gordon Mote (piano, Hammond b-3 organ); Jim "Moose" Brown (piano, Wurlitzer organ); Michael Rhodes , Mike Brignardello (bass instrument); Greg Morrow, Shannon Forrest (drums); Eric Darken (percussion); Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Wes Hightower (background vocals). |
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Audio Mixer: Justin Niebank. |
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Recording information: Blackbird Studios, Nashville, TN; The Castle, Franklin, TN; The Sound Kitchen, Franklin, TN. |
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Photographer: Russ Harrington. |
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Arrangers: John Hobbs; Kristin Wilkinson. |
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Although for the rest of his life, underinformed fans of 1990s pop will forever be calling Darius Rucker "Hootie," the former Hootie & the Blowfish singer-songwriter makes his solo debut with a perfectly credible take on mainstream contemporary Nashville country. The laid-back, largely acoustic folk-pop of Hootie & the Blowfish was never that far removed from contemporary country in the first place, so only the fact that Rucker is the first major African-American country star since the heyday of Charley Pride makes the stylistic crossover out of the ordinary. First single "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," a Top 5 hit on the Billboard country charts even prior to the album's release, makes clear how comfortable Rucker is with the blend of the Eagles and the Dixie Chicks that is contemporary country radio, and tracks like "History in the Making" and "Forever Road" are equally fine examples of the form. |
Producer: Frank Rogers; Frank Rogers |
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Engineer: Richard Barrow |
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Artist Overview
Eddie Vedder | Jerry Jeff Walker | Kris Kristofferson | Tim McGraw | Townes Van Zandt | Vince Gill
Brad Paisley | Dave Matthews | Del Amitri | Dierks Bentley | Gary Allan | Jewel | Meredith Brooks | Miranda Lambert | Sheryl Crow
Compilation Appearances
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For the Kids |
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Jill Scott Collaborations |
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Now That's What I Call Country Vol 2 |
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My Country:smash Hits |
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Now That?s What I Call Country 4 |
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Tuskegee |
Technical Info
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Release Date : 09/16/2008 |
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Original Release Date : 2008 |
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Catalog ID : 855062 |
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Label : Capitol/EMI Records |
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Number of Discs : 1 |
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Studio/Live : Studio |
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SPAR Code : n/a |
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UPC : 00094638550624 |
Bio
Darius RuckerIt's a voice that needs no introduction. Darius Rucker's soulful, rich baritone instantly resonates as a comforting companion in this journey we call life.
On Learn to Live, his first project for Capitol Records Nashville, Rucker has created a work that is steeped in the country traditions of meaningful lyrics and resonant melodies, yet sounds completely modern.
As the best country albums do, Learn to Live takes the listener on a trip. The album's arc covers major life themes such as falling in love, birth and death. "This CD is a journey," Rucker says. "I realized I'm 42. I'm not going to write many songs about drinking, chasing girls or booty calls. I was going to write songs about having kids and stuff - songs about life."
Guests on the album include Brad Paisley on the humorous "All I Want" and Vince Gill and Alison Krauss on the inspirational "If I Had Wings." "Brad just showed up in jeans and a t-shirt. To me, he's one of the best guitar players around," Rucker says. Gill and Krauss made Rucker, the ultimate fan, dizzy with delight. "They sounded like angels. You have these two artists singing on top of my voice...it gave me chills."
Rucker has always had a close kinship to country music and country artists. "Growing up in South Carolina, it was always around, always on the radio," he says. First an acolyte of Buck Owens, Rucker naturally gravitated towards Dwight Yoakam, New Grass Revival and Radney Foster in his twenties. "When I first heard Radney's voice on Foster & Lloyd's 'Crazy Over You,' I thought, 'this guy's voice is bigger than Texas.' I'm thinking, 'this is cool songwriting.'"
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