. >> reporter: today the only thing you probably recognize about darius rucker is this.ears after many of the song became the stuff of pop legend, rucker is going country. >> and i just sit back and, really, i pinch myself, and i go who really gets a second chance at a career. >> reporter: his new album "learning to live" has already sold about half million copies. and he is touring now with rascal flats. >> i know that i have to give my all. be great every night. i don't want anybody going that guy, hootie, sucks. i don't want that. >> reporter: he admits the country crowd is different than the hootie crowd of the '90s. >> yeah, i am walking around the parking lot, and they are tailgating. these country people are crazy, man. they are crazy. >> reporter: the fans have changed, and so has darius rucker. >> i am not partying, you know, staying up until 5:00 in the morning, and getting up and sounding great the next day. life is really mellow. it's all about family, and playing. i have mellowed a lot andav e grown up a lot. >> reporter: for rucker, the music has, too. >> i

they're crazy. ♪ >> reporter: the fans have changed and so has darius rucker. >> i'm not partying andtaying00 in the morning. life is pretty mellow for me now. it's all about family. i've definitely mellowed a lot. i've grown up a lot. >> reporter: for rucker, the o. s,ha >> i think hootie, we wrote story songs, but in country, all your songs have stories in them. it's really -- you want to say what people feel. you know, it's not so much about -- >> reporter: smiling, singing, and pinching himself. could be a song in his next albu >> it's crazy. >> you're a bona fide country star. >> yeah, i guess. >> reporter: craig melvin, news4 washington. >> hootie and the blowfish will continue touring in the future, but for now, country music is his day job. he plans to release another album next spring. >>> coming up, the latest on the arrest of marion barry. that's next with "news4 at 6." >>> president barack obama and the president of russia today announced a deal regarding nuclear arsenals. >>> the taliban is making an announcement on its website about a u.s. soldier missing in afghanista >>> pol

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darius rucker is making history. that is coming up on oprah today at 4:00. here is a look at what is coming up on the today show. >> michael jackson's personal doctor seen for the first time since his death. it happened during a raid on her las vegas -- his las vegas home and office. when will have the latest on that. and new evidence that tanning beds can increase your cancer risk by as much as 75%. and the specific threat swine flu poses to pregnant women. we're live in san antonio for day three of where to take a vacation. we will show you where kathie lee gifford has started some trouble at a dude ranch. >> i cannot picture writing around. 75 degrees on tv hill. >> will take another look at weather and traffic together before you start your day. sure, pal. let's just find a good spot. [ dramatic music plays ] a big day at the beach with the legendary taste of dunkin' donuts coffee on ice. this looks like a good spot. you kin' do it. america runs on dunkin'. treat yourself today with an authentic caramel swirl iced latte. at the jcpenney appreciation sale

i was so pleased to see an old friend of mine, african-american country music singer, darius rucker.sed to be the lead singer of hootie and the blowfish rock band. people say how come there aren't more armies in rock bands. if you look at the roots of country music in the south, a the although of african-american influences. jazz and blues which influence country music and then what is called hillbilly music. i think a great thing the first couple is really using the white house to showcase the best of america. the first part of the series was jazz and now country music. those are two very american -- >> you're right. a lot of roots of how blues music and gospel both in the song lyrics and in the sound of the song. but here is part of the thing. here is part of the thing. why we like what we like in terms of music is about identification. we identify you with the person who is on stage and the people who are in the audience with us. the imagined audience who is also listening to it and people at the concert. >> right. >> when i go to a jayz show i identify with him. or another show,