94年全美排行冠軍大碟《Cracked Rear View》讓Hootie & The Blowfish成為震天響的知名樂隊，800萬張的銷售數字締造史上最佳首張專輯銷售的紀錄，連同96年的冠軍專輯《Fairweather Johnson》與98年TOP 4作品《Musical Chairs》，全球超過2000萬樂迷都聽過這支流行隊伍中唯一的黑人歌手Darius Rucker那饒富靈魂樂色彩的歌聲，盡管當時樂評推崇他是這支榮獲葛萊美獎最佳新進藝人獎樂隊橫掃樂壇的動力所在，但眾人卻只流于他身處白人樂隊的浮面印象，2002年首張個人專輯《Back To Then》，Darius Rucker要讓大家對這副唱過《Only Wanna Be With You》、《Let Her Cry》這些TOP 10單曲的嗓子留下深刻的記憶，《Back To Then》發行首周空降Billboard熱門潛力榜(Heatseekers)冠軍王座的優異表現將焦點拉回他的歌聲，也實踐了他多年來努力做好一張節奏藍調／靈魂樂專輯的夢想。 南卡羅來納州Charleston的童年記憶，客廳中哼著Gladys Knight、Otis Redding、Al Green等節奏藍調前輩歌曲的美好歲月，Darius Rucker經常不由自主的聽歌廳到淚兒流，說唱傳奇The Notorious B.I.G.的唱作風采也對Darius的歌唱抱負深具激勵，89年與南卡羅來納大學同窗Mark Bryan、Dean Felber、Jim Sonefeld組成Hootie & The Blowfish，經過十多年的樂隊生涯后，Darius趁著與好友合作第4張專輯的空檔，個人大碟《Back To Then》終于應運而生。誠如標題名稱一樣，Darius透過歌聲追溯自己的節奏藍調音樂成長歷練，將放克節拍的活力彩度、藍調音感、福音音樂圣潔的味道與節奏藍調鮮嫩攪拌，并邀集80年代中后期曾與Will Smith組成DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince的DJ Jazzy Jeff為首的費城制作小組A Touch Of Jazz(Jill Scott處女作幕后制作)掌舵制作。 《Wild One》出自2001年以TOP 8單曲《What Would You Do》走紅的葛萊美獎提名樂隊City High隊員Ryan Toby之筆，Darius在歌聲中道出闖蕩樂壇的不受羈絆的自在心情；2001年葛萊美獎最佳新進藝人提名的靈魂樂女歌手Jill Scott傾情對唱的《Sometimes I Wonder》柔緩烘調靈魂戀歌的動人意境;與Jill Scott同樣來自靈魂樂園地-費城的真情才子Musiq擔任合聲與編曲的《Exodus》字里行間流露依偎廝守真情，猶如一篇溫煦的愛情誓言；Darius并透過重唱靈魂樂傳奇Al Green 74年名作《I'm Glad You're Mine》告慰天上的母親；曾在《Let Her Cry》擔任合聲的女歌手Lil' Mo合唱的《10 Years》則是首心碎的愛戀告白衷曲；說唱名嘴Snoop Dogg助陣的《Sleeping In My Bed》顯見Darius對說唱樂的涉獵。 by MacKenzie Wilson As part of Hootie & the Blowfish, Darius Rucker changed the face of mainstream pop music in the mid-'90s. Hootie & the Blowfish's blues-rock jams were infectiously fun and singles like "Hold My Hand" and "Only Wanna Be With You" propelled the band to sell nearly 20-million albums worldwide. After Hootie & the Blowfish released Musical Chairs in 1998, they took a break from recording and the road. Rucker used him time wisely and started a solo career. Born and raised in Charleston, SC, he was fed the sounds of Otis Redding, Al Green, and Gladys Knight at an early age. His R&B influences urged him to find his soul. He did with his debut album, The Return of Mongo Slade. The album was slated for a summer 2001 release with Atlantic, but it never saw the light of day because of contractual changes. A few months later, Rucker signed with Hidden Beach Recordings. He also made a cameo in the Farrelly brothers' comedy Shallow Hal. By spring 2002, Rucker was ready to introduce his mellow, R&B style. He hooked up with Jill Scott, Snoop Dogg, Musiq, and City High's Ryan Toby for the crazy-sexy-cool Back to Then, released in July 2002.