Darius Rucker Performs on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” as New Album 'Carolyn’s Boy' Connects

With the Tennessean highlighting “his best comprehensive country music work” on brand new album Carolyn’s Boy, Darius Rucker celebrated its release with a rousing performance of “Have A Good Time” on last night’s episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Watch Below and listen to the full project HERE.
 
Rucker considers the album, his sixth country project and first since 2017, to be his most personal to date, something he credits to taking the past six years to hone the songs and, in turn, reestablishing his passion for making music.
 
“The album’s meat involves Rucker finally getting to the core of country’s stereotypical three chords and the truth,” acknowledges the Tennessean of that process, with Rucker explaining, “I had a lot of therapy with myself on this record, which allows me to show the world how much I view making music, internally, as a therapeutic outlet for saying what I feel and think.”
 
“For Carolyn’s Boy, I talked to some of the best songwriters in town about so many of my authentically lived experiences,” he continues. “I feel like I’m finally comfortable doing what I’m supposed to do as a country music artist.”
 
Named for his late mother, Carolyn, who encouraged his love of country music from a young age, the album pays tribute to the woman whom Rucker told Willie Geist on this week’s “Sunday TODAY” is the reason for everything he is; “She taught us to be nice, she taught us to care, she taught us to give back, she taught us to always be the best person you can be.”
 
“Now that I’m a dad, three times over with grown kids, I just wanted to pay tribute to my mom who never got to see any of this stuff, any of this success,” he explained to the Associated Press, noting that – while there are somber moments – he hopes the project as a whole epitomizes her joyful personality: “it should sound like a celebration.”
 
“The thing I love is seeing her picture,” Rucker noted to Forbes of the album’s cover. “She’s 25 in that photo and it’s my favorite picture of her. Having my record named after her, and having her photo all over social media, I love it. I know she’s somewhere laughing and saying, ‘Boy, stop!’”
 
From recent No. 1 hit “Beers And Sunshine,” his 10th to top the Country charts, to current single “Fires Don’t Start Themselves,” lauded by Billboard for “the impressive vocal control and power in his lower register,” and his latest release, “Southern Comfort,” described by Garden & Gun as “evok[ing] a wistful nostalgia that has become one of Rucker’s calling cards,” the project honoring Carolyn Rucker features 14 tracks, 11 of which boast Rucker as a cowriter.
 
Some of the notable cowriters joining him on the project include global superstar Ed Sheeran for the reflective “Sara,” penned during a trip to London and celebrated by People as “a mid-tempo rumination on the hopes of seeking friendship and comfort in a long-lost connection;” reigning ACM Artist/Songwriter of the Year HARDY for the longing “3am in Carolina;” longtime friend and Lady A vocalist Charles Kelley for the despairing “7 days;” and Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne on “Never Been Over,” with Billboard noting Rucker “sings expertly on this track… bolstered by discreet, serene pedal steel and mandolin.”
 
In addition, the album sees Rucker join forces with Chapel Hart for the collaborative “Ol’ Church Hymn” while also offering his take on Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from blockbuster film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with MusicRow summarizing his rendition as “beautifully produced, spiritually uplifting and soul stirring. It builds to anthem-level intensity before receding into an intimate prayer. Essential.”
 
The album also features vulnerably insightful songs such as “Sure Would Have Loved Her,” “Stargazing,” while offering uplifting reminders to a divided world on tracks such as “In This Together,” “Same Beer Different Problem” and “Have A Good Time.”
 
Having shared the new music with fans across the country all summer on his
Starting Fires Tour, which concludes its North American stretch tomorrow evening in Nashville, Rucker is also gearing up to take his wide-ranging catalog of hits across the pond with a recently announced run of European tour dates in early 2024.
 
For more information and to purchase tickets to all upcoming shows, visit
DariusRucker.com and follow on social media @DariusRucker.

About Darius Rucker
Rucker first achieved multi-Platinum status in the music industry as lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the GRAMMY Award-winning band Hootie & the Blowfish, who have sold more than 25 million albums worldwide including their Double Diamond-certified (21x Platinum) debut Cracked Rear View, which remains among the top 10 best-selling studio albums of all time. Since releasing his first Country album in 2008, Rucker has earned a whole new legion of fans with four No. 1 albums on the Billboard Country chart, including RIAA Platinum-certified Learn to Live and True Believers, plus 10 No. 1 singles at Country radio and 11 Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum certified hits. Rucker was inducted as a Grand Ole Opry member in 2012 and in 2014 he won his third career GRAMMY Award for Best Solo Country Performance with his Diamond-certified (11x Platinum) version of “Wagon Wheel,” one of the top five best-selling Country songs of all time. He topped the charts at Country radio once again with “Beers And Sunshine” in 2021 and his brand new album Carolyn’s Boy, featuring his latest single, “Fires Don’t Start Themselves,” is available everywhere now.
 
As a lifelong philanthropist, Rucker co-chaired the capital campaign that generated $150 million to help build the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital in his hometown of Charleston, S.C. and has raised over $3.6 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through his annual Darius & Friends benefit concert and golf tournament. In addition, Rucker has advocated for over 200 charitable causes supporting public education and junior golf programs in South Carolina through the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation and serves as a National Chair for the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, Tenn. Rucker is also an avid sports fan, with his Darius Rucker Collection by Fanatics apparel line available at Fanatics.com, and he is part of the Music City Baseball investment group working to bring an MLB team to Tennessee in addition to serving as a partner at the MGC Sports & Entertainment agency.  

Photo Credit: Scott Kowalchyk

Darius Rucker Sets ‘Carolyn’s Boy’ for Oct. 6 Release; New Song “Have A Good Time” Out Now

Having previously teased the forthcoming project on NBC’S “TODAY,” Diamond-certified star Darius Rucker announces that his first solo album in six years, Carolyn’s Boy, is set for release Oct. 6 via UMG Nashville and available for preorder now. Brand new song “Have A Good Time” is also available everywhere today, Aug. 4, as a further preview of the project alongside his latest single “Fires Don’t Start Themselves,” currently climbing the charts at Country radio.
 
“I wanted to name the record Carolyn’s Boy because Mom never got to see any of my success,” Rucker explained during the “TODAY” interview. “She died before any of this happened, so it’s just another homage to the greatest woman I’ve ever known.”
 
When asked why now is the right time to honor her, Rucker was reflective, conceding, “years ago, I wasn’t really sure what my place in Country music was and I was trying to find it. Now I have found it – I know – and I think it’s time to give that record.”
 
Rucker will return to “TODAY” on September 1 to perform new songs off the project along with his fan-favorite hits as part of the Citi Concert Series. Fans can also catch Rucker on his Starting Fires Tour, currently underway, and he’ll bring the new music to his hometown of Charleston, S.C. during his personally-curated Riverfront Revival Music Festival as it returns for a second year on album release weekend (Oct. 7 & 8).
 
In celebration of the album announcement, Riverfront Revival is offering a limited allotment of 6-Pack GA Weekend Ticket Bundles, allowing fans to bundle and save $15 per pass while supplies last at
RiverfrontRevival.com. Showcasing the best of country and rock music along with the finest in food, arts and culture the Lowcountry has to offer, the 2023 lineup includes Rucker, Turnpike Troubadours, Lainey Wilson, Band of Horses and more.
 
For more information on all things Darius Rucker, visit
DariusRucker.com and follow on social media @DariusRucker.

About Darius Rucker
Rucker first achieved multi-Platinum status in the music industry as lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the GRAMMY Award-winning band Hootie & the Blowfish, who have sold more than 25 million albums worldwide including their Double Diamond-certified (21x Platinum) debut Cracked Rear View, which remains among the top 10 best-selling studio albums of all time. Since releasing his first Country album in 2008, Rucker has earned a whole new legion of fans with four No. 1 albums on the Billboard Country chart, including RIAA Platinum-certified Learn to Live and True Believers, plus 10 No. 1 singles at Country radio and 11 Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum certified hits. Rucker was inducted as a Grand Ole Opry member in 2012 and in 2014 he won his third career GRAMMY Award for Best Solo Country Performance with his Diamond-certified (11x Platinum) version of  “Wagon Wheel,” one of the top five best-selling Country songs of all time. He co-hosted the 54th annual CMA Awards in 2020 and topped the charts at Country radio once again with “Beers And Sunshine” in 2021. Rucker’s new single, “Fires Don’t Start Themselves” is available everywhere now as a preview of his forthcoming album set for Oct. 6 release, Carolyn’s Boy, as he performs the new music for fans this summer on his Starting Fires Tour.
 
As a lifelong philanthropist, Rucker co-chaired the capital campaign that generated $150 million to help build the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital in his hometown of Charleston, S.C. and has raised over $3.6 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through his annual Darius & Friends benefit concert and golf tournament. In addition, Rucker has advocated for over 200 charitable causes supporting public education and junior golf programs in South Carolina through the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation and serves as a National Chair for the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, Tenn. Rucker is also an avid sports fan, with his NFL x Darius Rucker Collection by Fanatics apparel line available at NFLshop.com, and he is part of the Music City Baseball investment group working to bring an MLB team to Tennessee in addition to serving as a partner at the MGC Sports & Entertainment agency.

new summer single from ENDER BENDER (electro/synthwave)

"A gift to retro-styled dance pop / synthwave lovers... A tasty morcel of synthwave delight with just the right attitude for this gloomy Covid-laden day in age"Big Takeover Magazine

"Free-flowing... A fun-packed feel-good summer anthem that seriously channels good vibes from the easier days of yester-decade (the 1980s come to mind)" ~ The Spill Magazine

"A rapture level electro grab to the nostalgia strings"Jammerzine

"Feel-good vibing happy-go-lucky pop,.. a flashback to mid-1980s British and French pop"The Record Stache

"Positive vibing... high frequency tracks for listeners everywhere"Original Rock


Indie pop artist Ender Bender presents his new single 'Have A Good Time', a retro-wave offering that is the first taster of his 'New Era' EP, scheduled for release in late June. Loaded with future-retro pop earworms, this EP is intended by Olguin as both an escape and a reminder of what is important - a soundtrack to help you enjoy yourself and have a good time.

Ender Bender is the solo project of composer/producer/multi-instrumentalist Eddie Olguin. The material on thiss new 5-track electro synthwave offering was written last summer in defiance of the spirit-crushing pandemic and his new obsession with the emerging retrowave/chillwave movement.

"Most of the music I have been listening to has a fun-retro 80s vibe, which served as the perfect distraction from the reality we were dealing with. This inspired me to create an EP that would also serve as an escape for others while positively touching upon the things we were forced to face, like the importance of friends and family and of truly leaving behind the petty bullshit that takes over our daily existence - we simply need to enjoy the beauty of life," says Eddie Olguin.

After years of living an adventurous rock-and-roll life in Los Angeles, Eddie Olguin moved to Rome in the name of love, but also found new energy and inspiration (void of scenes and scenesters) to reinvigorate his passion for music and redesign his musical career path.

Once settled in Rome, Olguin built a studio and made the transition from being a live performer to primarily a studio musician-producer. Thus was born Ender Bender - a new catalyst for his new mission.

With the Covid pandemic encouraging more time in the recording studio, 2020 motivated Eddie to hone his production skills and to begin composing instrumental cinematic cues. This led to scoring several corporate demos (for the development of a virtual reality game) and, ultimately, working as part of a busy collective of LA film composers. He has been working as a film composer ever since.

In 2020, Ender Bender debuted with his 'EQ' EP and singles 'Star Killer'and 'Honey Lavender Girl', released soon after the lockdown frenzy began. His first foray into studio production, this release garnered super reviews and international radio play.

"Have A Good Time' is now available across online stores and streaming platforms, including Spotify. The 'New Era' EP will be released on June 25 and can be pre-ordered at Bandcamp.

SINGLE CREDITS
Written, performed and produced by Eddie Olguin
Guitars by Bernhard Penzias
Mastered by Justin Weis
Recorded and mixed by Eddie Olguin in a secret Audio Lab somewhere in Rome


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