First stepping on stage during the 1980s, Darius Rucker explored a career in the music industry. Dabbling in genres like rock, pop, country, and blues, the hitmaker produced several hit songs including “Beers and Sunshine”, “Let Her Cry”, and the famous “Wagon Wheel.” The country star released his latest album, Carolyn’s Boy, back in 2023. Still traveling the country, Rucker recently performed during a football game that was more of a singalong than a performance. With the performance making its way online, Rucker decided to share his thoughts and money about the hilarious moment.
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Over the weekend, Rucker traveled to the East Tennessee State University game to supposedly perform his famous song “Wagon Wheel.” Due to the singer mentioning Johnson City in the lyrics, which is where the university is located, the school started to play the song during each game. But on Saturday, the university promoted Rucker as a special guest who would perform during the game. With fans packing the stadium, some were shocked when Rucker took the field and led the crowd in a recorded version of the song.
Wanted to let y’all know I’m donating $2,980 to the @ETSU NIL fund, $10 for every second I stood at midfield during “Wagon Wheel” thinking it was as awkward as y’all did 🤣 Really just wanted to be there to bring attention to this great program and say thank you for singing our…
— Darius Rucker (@dariusrucker) November 12, 2024
Although fans questioned the performance, Rucker shared his opinion on Twitter. He wrote, “Wanted to let y’all know I’m donating $2,980 to the @ETSU NIL fund, $10 for every second I stood at midfield during “Wagon Wheel” thinking it was as awkward as y’all did. Really just wanted to be there to bring attention to this great program and say thank you for singing our song at the top of your lungs every weekend. I love you JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE!”
[RELATED: On This Day in 2022 Darius Rucker Lands a Rare Diamond Certification for “Wagon Wheel”]
Darius Rucker Was Set To Perform According To Athletic Director
While some fans were upset over the performance, many simply enjoyed having Rucker there. “I was there and actually enjoyed it. I guess I wasn’t aware the song was supposed to be live. The fans seemed to be into it.” One person added, “Thank you for bringing excitement all week to ETSU! It was great to have you in our stadium Saturday! A big thank you too for the donation! We love our Bucs and happy to have your support!”
Outside of Rucker’s tweet, the ETSU athletic director Richard Sander revealed he and the school believed the singer was set to perform but his management team didn’t want him to sing. Either way, ETSU won their matchup 24-21.
(Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
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