3 Songs You Didn’t Know Darius Rucker Wrote For Other Artists

Darius Rucker is versatile not just as a singer, but also as a songwriter. Rucker broke onto the scene in the mid-1990s as the lead singer of the hit alt-rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. This set the stage for a highly successful transition into a solo career in country music. While Rucker co-writes much of his own material, his name also appears on songs recorded by a range of artists. Check them out below.

1. “Sometimes I Wonder” by Jill Scott ft. Darius Rucker

Written by Jill Scott, Darius Rucker, Andre Harris, Vidal Davis, and Aja Graydon

The country superstar was among the many versatile artists who appear on singer-songwriter, actress, and poet Jill Scott’s appropriately titled 2007 album, Collaborations. Rucker serves as a featured vocalist and co-writer on the R&B-influenced track, “Sometimes I Wonder,” which shows off a new side of his voice that’s sultry and smooth alongside Scott’s as they croon, Joined from the soul / Our hearts together / Just living together in melody baby / Sometimes I wonder / How we got so good. Lupe Fiasco, Will Smith, and will.i.am are among the other collaborators on the album.

2. “Raising a Rookie” by Sister Hazel

Written by Darius Rucker, Andrew Copeland, and Barry Dean

Darius Rucker stepped back into his alt-rock roots when he teamed up with hit songwriter Barry Dean and Sister Hazel guitarist, vocalist, and keyboardist Andrew Copeland to write “Raising a Rookie,” the opening track off Sister Hazel’s 2019 EP, Earth. This poignant acoustic number speaks from the perspective of a parent who’s doing the best they can to help their child along the journey of life, as told through such timeless lyrics as, And they teach you to be humble / While the time and the worry line your face / And you learn how to hold your breath / How a desperate heart can pray. Rucker was also featured on “Karaoke Song” off the band’s 2016 album, Lighter In The Dark.

3. “Baby This and Baby That” by Jon Wolfe

Written by Darius Rucker, Jonathan Singleton, and Deric Ruttan

Darius Rucker lent a helping hand to indie country singer Jon Wolfe when he co-wrote this deep cut from Wolfe’s 2017 album, Any Night in Texas. “I write as much as I can on my albums, but I’m always looking for great songs from other songwriters,” Wolfe explained to Cowboys & Indians about the song. “From the first time I heard it I knew I had to record it. It’s just one of those songs that fits what I do perfectly. It’s modern, but it’s got that ’90s country feel to it too. It’s a country summer jam!”

The album cracked the Top 15 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.

Photo by Keith Griner/ EB Media PR