i've grown up a lot. >> reporter: for rucker, the o.hink 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 >>> police have released new information about the death of former nfl quarterback steve mcnair. >>> it started as a trip to the beach. it ended with one of this city's most well-

. >> 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

eric rucker has the frantic rescue from milwaukee. >> reporter: a mother and her two children trapped inside a vehicle inferno. >> there's a baby in there! >> reporter: residents pour into the streets knowing every second inside the car could be deadly. the mom and her 2-year-old are first out but the 4-year-old is still trapped and time is ticking. >> whoa! >> reporter: finally those on the scene including an offduty officer and firefighter get the child out with second and third degree burns, but alive. >> if people wouldn't have came out and helped that child in that backseat he would have perished in that burning vehicle, yes. >> reporter: officials say the driver may have fallen asleep before slamming into a tree, then came the flames and what seems like all of the area's residents. >> you just do what you have to do and think about it later, and just something that you have been exposed to in the past and you just, you know, you try and save somebody's life. >> something like that, it's terrible, but we tried the hardest to get the kids out, you know, and i'm still shaking, prob

afternoon on oprah, the biggest names of country music -- plus, you know him as a hoodie but now darius ruckeris making history. tonight at 11 is at 5:00, the quality of beaches that might keep people out of the water. and it seems financial stability starts with education. find out the highest earning college degrees and a salary you can expect, tonight at 11 is at 5:00. now your maryland lottery pick three and four numbers. >> it is our green ball double draw from a new promotion by the maryland lottery, now through august 16. >> give a chance to win on two -- everytime a green ball pops up we will draw the bonus said. the first -- 1. 0. 2. 102. now time for the green ball double draw. remember, if of green ball pops up it a chance to win on both sets of picked three numbers. it is a green ball. >> the green ball brings good fortune. >> your green ball double draw picked three numbers are -- 4, 3, 8. winning a victory green ball numbers, 438. moving right along to the pick four. are you ready? 8, 5, 3. the last number is 7. 8537 -- we are saying, maryland, let yourself play. for details visi

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,