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Darius Rucker continues to unveil new music as he puts the finishing touches on a forthcoming album, with “Ol’ Church Hymn” featuring rising trio Chapel Hart set for release Friday, Sept. 30. The song comes on the heels of another collaboration from Rucker and the trio, who joined forces for a performance of Bonnie Raitt’s “Something to Talk About” during last week’s “America’s Got Talent” season finale on NBC.
Watch the performance here and preorder/presave “Ol’ Church Hymn” here.
Written by Rucker together with Ben Hayslip, Josh Miller and Greylan James, the gospel-inspired love song features Rucker’s rich baritone vocals, praised by Billboard as “one of the most distinctive voices of country’s modern era,” joined by the three-part harmony of Chapel Hart to profess a born-again love in the joyful chorus:
“You soothe my soul like an ol’ church hymn/Found in a book in the back of a pew/Born again love I’m a new person/Hand in the air hallelujah/Amen, Amen, Amen/Amen, Amen, Amen/You soothe my soul like an ol’ church hymn”
“Like so many people, I was blown away when I saw Chapel Hart’s original response to ‘Jolene,’ ” Rucker noted. “I was recording ‘Ol’ Church Hymn’ at the time and instantly had this vision of it becoming a duet once I heard their voices. I’m so thankful they said yes to singing on it with me, and I can’t wait to see the huge career they’re going to have.”
“He really took a chance on us. … He saw some of our stuff online and he was like ‘I love what you ladies are doing. I have an idea and I want to hear you guys on this song,’ ” Chapel Hart’s Devynn Hart shared recently.
Shown at the “America's Got Talent” “Finale Results” episode are Chapel Hart and Darius Rucker. Fresh from their team-up, the foursome will release a new song. (NBC photo by Casey Durkin)
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The new duet will be featured on Rucker’s forthcoming album – his first solo project since 2017’s critically acclaimed “When Was the Last Time.” Fans can also see Rucker perform live as he brings the inaugural Riverfront Revival festival to his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, on Oct. 8-9 with Brothers Osborne, SUSTO, Jimmie Allen, Charley Crockett and more joining him on the lineup. Limited tickets remain available for purchase at RiverfrontRevival.com.
For more information on upcoming shows and new music, visit DariusRucker.com and follow on social media @DariusRucker.
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 Diamond-certified 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 nine-times-Platinum version of Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel,” one of the Top 5 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. New songs “My Masterpiece” and “Same Beer Different Problem” are available everywhere now as Rucker puts the finishing touches on a forthcoming album.
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 Charleston. He has raised over $3 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.