Country Pop Bites: Darius Rucker – July 6

Did you know that on this day in Country Music History in 2012 Darius Rucker made a surprise appearance on the Grand Ole Opry?

It's true! He performed "Wagon Wheel" with Old Crow Medicine Show.

Check out the video!

Here are 5 interesting facts about Darius Rucker.

• He formed Hootie and the Blowfish in 1986 after his eventual bandmate Mark Bryan heard him singing in the shower.
• he collaborated with R&B artist Jill Scott and hip-hop's Snoop Dogg on his first solo album, Back to Then.
• He was inspired to play country music after hearing Radney Foster's album Del Rio, Texas, 1959. In 2010, Rucker released his second album, titled Charleston, SC, 1966.
• He was initially dismissed as a gimmick when he began playing country music. Some country radio stations wouldn't play his songs, so he crossed the Southeast in his car, appearing on dozens of radio shows.
• He was only the third black artist (the other two were Ray Charles and Charlie Pride) to hit the top spot on the country-music chart.