On This Day in 2009, Darius Rucker’s Historic Debut Country Single Reached an Impressive Milestone—Joining Charley Pride in the Record Books

On this day (February 3) in 2009, Darius Rucker’s debut country single, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” received Gold certification from the RIAA. Months earlier, in October 2008, the song topped the Hot Country Songs chart, making Rucker the first Black solo artist to top the country chart since Charley Pride’s “Night Games” reached No. 1 in September 1983.

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Rucker had an incredibly successful career before he transitioned to country music. He and some of his fellow University of South Carolina students formed Hootie & the Blowfish in 1985. Their 1994 debut album, Cracked Rear View, has been certified 22 times platinum. The band also brought home a pair of Grammy Awards in 1995.

[RELATED: On This Day in 2010, Darius Rucker Honored His Hometown and Hero on His Second Country Album]

The band went on hiatus in early 2008 to allow Rucker to pursue a solo project. Later that year, he signed with Capitol Records Nashville and released Learn to Live that September.

Darius Rucker Brings His Songwriting Skill to Country Music

Darius Rucker’s songwriting and vocal skills were instrumental in making Hootie & the Blowfish so successful. He brought both of those skillsets to country music.

Rucker co-wrote his debut single, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” with Clay Mills. He introduced himself to the country music world with it in late May 2008.

“Most songs are about the one that got away or the one you want back or pining and whining. Here’s a person that’s content, but they heard that someone they loved at one time is getting married and reflected on it,” Rucker said of the song, per Songfacts. “When he says, ‘Don’t think I don’t think about it,’ he’s saying it to a buddy or to himself. He was fine until she got married,” he added.

“I really would have been happy with pretty much any of the songs being the first single, but I told (producer) Frank Rogers after we finished this song in the studio that it was going to be it,” he said. “I think the feel, the tempo, and the sentiment all had something to do with the decision. Everybody wants to think that there is someone out there thinking about them, don’t they?”

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