Darius Rucker has always had a country soul, even when he was growing up and listening to Kenny Rogers and others, as well as later as an adult citing Radney Foster and his 1992 album, Del Rio, TX 1959, as the inspiration behind him wanting to make a country album. After listening to REM and Bonnie Raitt songs, he wrote Hootie & The Blowfish’s 1994 hit “Let Her Cry,” which he has deemed “the first country song” he ever wrote and a song that he still performs in concert to this day. It fits seamlessly in his setlist alongside his solo hits “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” “Come Back Song,” “Homegrown Honey” and “Wagon Wheel,” among others.

“I always say that’s the first country song I ever wrote, so I play that one,” says Darius. “That one’s still really special to me.”

Darius, who is making his way up the country charts with his single “Fires Don’t Start Themselves,” is currently crisscrossing the country on his Starting Fires Tour. The next stop is July 13th in Dubuque, Iowa.