{October 24, 2000} From performing in local bars to headlining in large amphitheaters, Hootie & the Blowfish loved playing covers of songs by the artists that inspired them. The two began playing together and dubbed themselves “The Wolf Brothers” for their first set at Pappy’s, the local wing and burger joint!Hoping to form a full band, Mark reached out to an old friend and previous band mate, Dean Felber to join him and Darius on stage. Not only did they win 2 Grammy’s, Best New Artist & Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals for ‘Let Her Cry,’ but the latter award was presented to them by none other than Tupac Shakur and KISS!“It’s one thing to win a Grammy, but to get an award from KISS in full makeup is one of the greatest moments of our lives.” -Soni{October, 1995} When Hootie & the Blowfish entered the studio to record their second album in 1995, they had months of touring experience under their belts. The guys have always been inspired by the legendary rock band and were honored to contribute their rendition of ‘Hey, Hey, What Can I Do’ to the album!“Anyone making music today has felt the influence of Led Zeppelin. {Summer 1987} Darius worked for a record store called Sounds Familiar during college.
Five Points and the City of Columbia wanted to honor the band for their positive impact on the city so local sculptors were commissioned to create a public art piece to commemorate the band. Hootie & the Blowfish were honored to receive this award in 2016!“They willingly use their celebrity status as successful artists to draw attention to and benefit South Carolina. 46 in the U.S. The band went on hiatus in 2008 until they announced plans for a full reunion tour in 2019 and released their first new studio album in fourteen years, Imperfect Circle. Well, when Darius was in school, he had a friend with big eyes like an owl and he called him Hootie, and another friend with big cheeks and he called him Blowfish. Recorded in Nashville, TN with producer Don Gehman, ‘Looking for Lucky’ features songwriting collaborations with artists such as Radney Foster and the Silos’ Walter Salas-Humara as well as additional musicians including Sam Bush. The music-inspired sculpture rises out of the sidewalk at the corner of Harden St & Santee Ave (now Hootie & the Blowfish Blvd!) Even if we hadn’t had a hit, I know we’d still be making music today, because it’s exactly what we want to be doing.”The band’s secret weapon, and the force that pulls all of its diverse influences together, is the voice of Darius Rucker, an expressive instrument brimming with gritty soul and subtle wit. The founding members were Darius Rucker, Dean Felber, Jim “Soni” Sonefeld and Mark Bryan. Letterman introduced them by saying to his audience, “if you don’t have this album, there’s something wrong with you,” and Hootie followed with a live performance of ‘Hold My Hand’ for their first TV appearance!Following the episode’s airing on September 2, Cracked Rear View weekly album sales more than tripled and the album continued to move up the Billboard 200 Album Chart! But, the 38th Annual Grammy Awards in February of 1996 was something they could’ve never imagined. The album had been out for six months before the band played on the Late Show with David Letterman. Only a week after the release, over 10,000 copies of CRV were sold and the album entered the Billboard Heatseekers Chart at number 1! Unlike any other recording session, Was recorded the band playing in the same room at the same time in an effort to “… capture the essence of Hootie raw,” Soni explained. Encouraged by the positive feedback from their audience, they flew out to California to team up with producer Don Gehman to record their third album!‘Musical Chairs,’ released on September 15, 1998, debuted at number 4 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart! With the rich, bluesy vocals of Darius Rucker and gleeful harmonies of guitarist Mark Bryan, bassist Dean Felber and drummer Jim “Soni” Sonefeld, Hootie & the Blowfish sold over 25 million records worldwide after their infectious melodies hit the airwaves in 1994 with hits such as “Hold My Hand”, “Let Her Cry” and “Only Wanna Be With You.” ‘Hootie & the Blowfish’, the band’s first record released under their new manager, Doc McGhee, mimics the sound of a live show!“There’s a reason the album is simply named after the band. When they heard him sing, “There was a life I was living, in some Cracked Rear View,” they knew those last three words were a perfect fit! Letterman told his audience “If you don’t have this album, there’s something wrong with you.” The day after the show aired, sales went from four or five thousand a week to 17,000 a week, and eventually Number One on the Billboard charts the following spring.
With help from its biggest annual fundraiser, Monday After the Masters, the endowment has raised over $4.3 million and donated over $2.9 million to hundreds of causes nationwide!
Hootie & the Blowfish Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine + Follow Artist. “That togetherness went from the stage right onto the tape.” With help from producer Don Gehman, the band created an album that displayed their growth as songwriters and musicians since their debut album.The media was quick to label ‘Fairweather Johnson’ Hootie’s “sophomore slump” after its April 23, 1996 release. {Summer 2008} In 2003, Hootie & the Blowfish began their first Homegrown tour with a goal of raising school supplies for underprivileged schools. The donor advised fund with the Central Carolina Community Foundation continues to help charities across the U.S. with a focus on evening the playing field in educational funding across South Carolina schools. {March 4, 2003} After four years without a new release, Hootie & the Blowfish wanted a new energy for their fifth project and Grammy award-winning producer, Don Was brought just that. Since then, Soni has released 4 albums including a trilogy called In December of 2018, the band appeared on the Today Show to announce a return to full-time touring along with news of a forthcoming album. This one finds them returning to the sounds on thier debut disc "Cracked Rear View". Since then, Soni has released 4 albums including a trilogy called Found (2012), In (2014) and Love (2015). They played in 5 cities across the southeast and asked fans to bring donations that would then be distributed back into that community.