For over three decades, Darius Rucker has been a staple in the music world, from fronting Hootie & the Blowfish to scoring hits on the country charts. Despite his success, the singer admits he’s cautious about one thing — passing the music business on to his kids.
With two of his children showing interest in music, Rucker explained to Taste of Country Nights why he’s completely against it.
“My two youngest all of a sudden want to be musicians, which I am so against that,” Rucker told the outlet. “It’s such a hard business. Even if you have a little bit of success, you’re chasing that forever.”
The country music star is a father of three. He shares Carolyn, 30, with his ex Elizabeth Ann Phillips, and Daniella, 24, and Jack, 21, with his ex-wife Beth Leonard. While Rucker originally hoped his kids would pursue careers as doctors or lawyers, he says he’ll support their choices and “we’ll see” how things develop.
It’s already clear that music runs in the family. Daniella, who recently graduated from New York University, teamed up with her dad on the song “I Don’t Love You Like That.” Jack, for his part, joined Deacon Phillippe, son of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, to release the track “8 / 5 / 18.”
Rucker himself has been in the music industry for more than 30 years. He first rose to fame as the lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish, eventually transitioning to a solo career in country music. Over the years, he has earned six No. 1 hits on Billbdoard’s Hot Country Songs chart, three Grammy Awards, two CMA Awards and an ACM trophy.
With such a successful career, the path is already partly paved if his children decide to pursue music professionally.
While some kids might feel embarrassed by their parents, Rucker said his children are proud of his achievements. According to the country singer, they will say, “That’s my dad,” to their friends when one of his songs comes on the radio.
Outside of family life, Rucker continues to stay busy with music. He kicked off a tour in July, with shows scheduled through December 13 in Naples, Florida. He is also part of a new band, Howl Owl Howl, which has tour dates in November.
Rucker’s personal life is also thriving. On October 8, 2025, he announced his engagement to Emily Deahl, a lifestyle content creator and singer. Sharing a post on Instagram, he wrote, “Thank you for showing me a level of happiness I have never known. The day I met you I knew I didn’t want to go another one without you. Now I don’t have to.”
