Editing Hootie & the Blowfish (section)

==History==
===Early years===
[[Darius Rucker]] and [[Mark Bryan]] met in [[Columbia, South Carolina]], in the mid-1980s when they were both freshmen at the [[University of South Carolina]].<ref name="RollingStone2005">Bashe, P. R., & George-Warren, H., ''The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll'' (Third ed.). New York, Fireside, 2005, p. 443</ref> Bryan, a guitar player, heard Rucker singing in the showers of the dorm they shared and was impressed by his vocal ability. The pair began playing [[cover version|cover]] tunes as the Wolf Brothers.

Eventually, they collaborated with bassist Dean Felber, a former high school bandmate of Bryan's, and Brantley Smith, a drummer. In 1986, they adopted the name Hootie & the Blowfish, a conjunction of the nicknames of two of their college friends.<ref name="hoot_Hoot">{{Cite web |title=Hootie & the Blowfish |url=http://www.hootie.com/about/ |access-date=January 1, 2015 |website=hootie.com |quote=The unlikely moniker was borrowed from the nicknames of two college friends.}}</ref> The band is routinely featured in articles and polls about badly-named bands.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 January 2012 |title=The Worst Band Names Ever - NME |url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/the-worst-band-names-ever-780296 |website=Nme.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gelfand |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GC_HDgAAQBAJ&q=hootie+&pg=PT92 |title=Strategies for Success: Self-Promotion Secrets for Musicians |date=15 March 2010 |publisher=Schirmer Trade Books |isbn=9780857121974 |via=Google Books}}</ref> Rucker is often mistakenly labeled as being the "Hootie" in the band's name.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rock On The Net: Hootie & The Blowfish / Darius Rucker |url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-h/hootieandtheblowfish_main.htm |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=Rockonthenet.com}}</ref> Smith left the group after finishing college to pursue music ministry, but he has made scattered guest appearances with the band (he played cello on their ''[[MTV Unplugged]]'' performance in 1996 and played drums at Gruene Hall in [[Gruene, Texas]], on June 27, 2008). Smith was replaced full time in 1989 by Jim "Soni" Sonefeld. The band's lineup has remained the same ever since.

The band independently released two cassette demo [[Extended play|EP]]s in 1991 and 1992.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} In 1993, they pressed 50,000 copies of a self-released EP, ''[[Kootchypop]]''. They were signed to [[Atlantic Records]] in August 1993 after being discovered by Atlantic [[Artists and repertoire|A&R]] representative [[Tim Sommer]], a former music journalist and member of the art rock band [[Hugo Largo]].<ref name="sommer">{{Cite web |last=Sommer |first=Tim |date=14 July 2016 |title=My Life in the Bush of Hootie: How I Signed the Biggest Band of 1995 |url=http://observer.com/2016/07/my-life-in-the-bush-of-hootie-how-i-signed-the-biggest-band-of-1995/ |access-date=16 July 2016 |website=Observer}}</ref> Sommer recalled that other record labels were uninterested in signing Hootie & The Blowfish because their sound was radically different from the [[grunge]] music that was popular at the time.<ref name="sommer" />

===1994–1995: ''Cracked Rear View'' and mainstream success===
Their mainstream debut album was ''[[Cracked Rear View]]'' (1994). Released in July 1994, the album's popularity grew after its release, becoming the best-selling album of 1995, and was one of the fastest-selling debut albums of all time. The album was certified [[RIAA certification|platinum]] in the United States in January 1995, and incrementally rose to 12× platinum by January 1996, and 16× platinum by March 1999. In May 2019, the certification was updated from 16× platinum to 21× platinum.

The album featured four hits, "[[Hold My Hand (Hootie & the Blowfish song)|Hold My Hand]]" (U.S. No. 10), "[[Let Her Cry (song)|Let Her Cry]]" (U.S. No. 9), "[[Only Wanna Be with You]]" (U.S. No.&nbsp;6), and "[[Time (Hootie & the Blowfish song)|Time]]" (U.S. No. 14).<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">{{Cite book |last=Strong |first=Martin C. |title=The Great Rock Discography |publisher=Mojo Books |year=2000 |isbn=1-84195-017-3 |edition=5th |location=Edinburgh |page=459}}</ref> The album's last single, "[[Drowning (Hootie & the Blowfish song)|Drowning]]", was not as successful as its predecessors, peaking only on the [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|Mainstream Rock]] chart. In 1995, Hootie & the Blowfish and [[Bob Dylan]] reached an out-of-court settlement for the group's unauthorized use of Dylan's lyrics in their song "Only Wanna Be with You".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/rock_clock/11_3/index.jhtml?rsspartner=rssMozilla |title=Rock Clock - November 3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001030628/http://www.vh1.com/news/rock_clock/11_3/index.jhtml?rsspartner=rssMozilla |archive-date=October 1, 2007 |website=VH1 |access-date=May 25, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Miami Dolphins]]' Hall of Fame quarterback [[Dan Marino]] appeared along with several other athletes in the band's [[music video|video]] for the song "Only Wanna Be with You".<ref>Hootie and the Blowfish. ''A Series of Short Trips'' (DVD). Atlantic, 1996.</ref>

===1996–1997: ''Fairweather Johnson'' and promotional singles===
In 1995, Hootie & the Blowfish contributed the song "[[Hey, Hey, What Can I Do]]" to the ''[[Encomium (album)|Encomium]]'' tribute album to [[Led Zeppelin]]. Their [[cover version|cover]] of Canadian group [[54-40 (band)|54-40]]'s "[[I Go Blind]]", released on the soundtrack to the television series ''[[Friends]]'' in 1995, did not appear on ''Cracked Rear View'' or ''Fairweather Johnson'', but became a hit on radio in 1996 after three singles from ''Fairweather Johnson'' had been released. Both "Hey, Hey, What Can I Do" and "I Go Blind" were later released on the compilation ''Scattered, Smothered and Covered''.

On February 28, 1996, at the [[38th Annual Grammy Awards]], Hootie & the Blowfish won the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (for the single "Let Her Cry") and the Grammy for "Best New Artist".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/hootie-blowfish/16330|title=Hootie & the Blowfish |website=Grammy.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Music/9602/grammy_pm/|title=CNN - Morrissette, Hootie big Grammy winners |website=www.cnn.com |date=February 29, 1996}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/darius-rucker-my-grammy-moment-5885248/|title=Darius Rucker: My GRAMMY Moment|website=Billboard.com |date=January 24, 2014}}</ref> The band appeared on ''MTV Unplugged'' on the eve of the release of their second album, ''[[Fairweather Johnson]]'' (1996). The album contained the hit single "Old Man and Me" (U.S. No. 13), and sold four million copies in the United States.

===1998–2008: Middle years===
[[File:Hootie and the Blowfish.JPEG|alt=The band onstage|thumb|The band performing for North Carolina Army National Guard (NCARNG) Soldiers and their family members during the NCARNG Welcome Home Celebration Day at the RBC Center, Raleigh, N.C., on June 26, 2005]]
In 1998, the band performed on [[Frank Wildhorn]]'s concept album of the musical ''[[The Civil War (musical)|The Civil War]]''. Hootie & the Blowfish released their third studio album, ''[[Musical Chairs (Hootie & the Blowfish album)|Musical Chairs]]'', on September 15, 1998. It spawned the singles "I Will Wait" and "Only Lonely".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/100347-Gettysburg-Welcomes-Wildhorns-New-Civil-War-Musical-For-the-Glory |title=Gettysburg Welcomes Wildhorn's "New" Civil War Musical, For the Glory |website=Playbill.com}}</ref>

The group covered the 1968 Orpheus hit "Can't Find the Time" for the [[soundtrack]] of the [[Jim Carrey]] movie ''[[Me, Myself & Irene]]'' (2000). The song's writer, Bruce Arnold, traded verses with Darius on several occasions when the band played live on the West Coast. The band kept to an extensive touring schedule, including an annual New Year's Eve show at [[Silverton Las Vegas]] (formerly known as Boomtown Las Vegas) in [[Enterprise, Nevada]].

The band released a [[A-side and B-side|B-sides]] and rarities [[compilation album|compilation]] titled ''[[Scattered, Smothered and Covered]]'' (2000). This album is named in tribute of [[Waffle House]], a popular Southern chain of all-night diners. Specifically, the title refers to an order of [[hash browns]]—shredded potatoes scattered on the grill, smothered with diced onions, and covered with melted cheese.<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/03/hootie.sessions/index.html Hootie & the Blowfish like songs "covered".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070319162913/http://archives.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/03/hootie.sessions/index.html |date=2007-03-19 }} Cnn.com Archive, November 3, 2000. Accessed February 5, 2007.</ref>

In 2003, the band released [[Hootie & the Blowfish (album)|a self-titled album]].

In 2005, the band released ''[[Looking for Lucky]]''.

===2008–2018: Hiatus and solo work===
In 2008, Rucker announced in an [[AOL Sessions]] interview that the band would go on hiatus for several years so that Rucker could pursue a solo career as a [[country music]] performer. Rucker confirmed the band would still perform their scheduled charity concerts but added they would not record or tour.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2008-08-29 |title=Darius Rucker – Hootie Leaves the Blowfish |url=http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/hootie%20leaves%20the%20blowfish_1078882 |magazine=Contactmusic.com |access-date=2011-11-13}}</ref> Rucker later clarified the band was not splitting up.<ref>[http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20090103175131/http://www.alternativeaddiction.com/musicnews/article.asp?id%3D1250 Hootie and the Blowfish to Return in 2009]. Alternative Addiction, December 20, 2008.</ref>

In 2009, Hootie & the Blowfish performed live in a ballet that chronicled their rise and success in the 1990s.<ref>[http://www.free-times.com/index.php?cat=11001804073474158&ShowArticle_ID=11010104093374663 Believe It or Not, Here's the Hootie Ballet.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804011523/http://www.free-times.com/index.php?cat=11001804073474158&ShowArticle_ID=11010104093374663 |date=2010-08-04 }} Free Times (Columbia, SC), March 31, 2009, accessed April 17, 2009</ref>

Rucker went on to record the solo albums ''[[Learn to Live]]'', ''[[Charleston, SC 1966]]'', ''[[True Believers (Darius Rucker album)|True Believers]]'', ''[[Home for the Holidays (Darius Rucker album)|Home for the Holidays]],'' and ''[[Southern Style (Darius Rucker album)|Southern Style]]''.

The band reunited for a one-time performance on the ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'' in the run-up to Letterman's retirement from the show in May 2015. In August 2015, Darius Rucker said on ''[[Today (U.S. TV program)|The Today Show]]'' that the band members were working on new songs and would record a new album when they had enough material.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Darius Rucker: Hootie Reunion Will Be 'Real Soon' |url=http://tasteofcountry.com/darius-rucker-hootie-and-the-blowfish-reunion/ |website=Taste of Country|date=24 October 2015 }}</ref>

In 2015, the Irish band [[Music for Dead Birds]] released a song titled 'Hooty and the Blowfish', a slight misspelling of the group's name.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 October 2015 |title=Music for Dead birds to open October Citog gigs- Galway Advertiser |url=http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/80035/music-for-dead-birds-to-open-october-citg-gigs |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=Advertiser.ie}}</ref>{{clarify|date=February 2022|reason=the cited source spells the first word of the song "Hootie"}}

==={{Anchor|2019: New music and tour}}2019–present: New music and tour===
On December 3, 2018, the band announced the 44-city [[Group Therapy Tour]] with [[Barenaked Ladies]] in 2019 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the release of ''[[Cracked Rear View]]''. The tour began on May 30, 2019, in [[Virginia Beach]] and concluded on September 13 in their hometown of [[Columbia, South Carolina]]. They also signed a new record deal with [[UMG Nashville]]."<ref name="Group Therapy">{{Cite magazine |last=Parton |first=Chris |date=December 3, 2018 |title=Hootie and the Blowfish Announce First Tour in More Than a Decade |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/hootie-and-the-blowfish-2019-tour-new-music-darius-rucker-762456/ |access-date=December 3, 2018 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Kristin M. |date=December 3, 2018 |title=Rockers Hootie & the Blowfish return with new album, tour |url=https://www.apnews.com/5a7e556d2f6b479f9e21825166507c15 |access-date=December 3, 2018 |website=Associated Press}}</ref>

The band's sixth studio album, ''[[Imperfect Circle]]'', was released on November 1, 2019.<ref name="Hootie & the Blowfish">{{Cite web |last=Feit |first=Noah |date=August 8, 2019 |title=Hootie & the Blowfish to release new album since 2005. Here's how to hear new song |url=https://www.thestate.com/news/state/south-carolina/article233640762.html |website=The State}}</ref>

In April 2020, the band released a [[cover version]] of R.E.M.'s "[[Losing My Religion]]".<ref name="RS-20200417">{{Cite magazine |last=Shaffer |first=Claire |date=April 17, 2020 |title=Hear Hootie and the Blowfish Cover R.E.M.'s 'Losing My Religion' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hootie-and-the-blowfish-r-e-m-losing-my-religion-985834 |access-date=February 13, 2021 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref>

In 2022, Sonefeld released a memoir entitled ''Swimming with a Blowfish: Hootie, Healing, and the Ride of a Lifetime'' ({{ISBN|978-1-63576-767-4}}). In 2024, Rucker released ''Life's Too Short: A Memoir'' ({{ISBN|978-0-06323-874-9}}).

===Record label===
In 1996, Hootie & the Blowfish started their own record label, Breaking Records, as a subsidiary of [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]. They had planned to focus on signing local Carolina acts. [[Edwin McCain]] and [[Cravin' Melon]] were associated with the label at one point but did not release any material on it. [[The Meat Puppets]], [[Jump, Little Children]], Virginwool, Treadmill Trackstar, and Treehouse released one album each on Breaking Records. The label folded in 2000.

===Charity work===
[[Tim Sommer]], the band's A&R representative at Atlantic Records, said Hootie & The Blowfish donated all the proceeds from a Seattle concert in the 1990s to a rape crisis group that had been set up in memory of [[Mia Zapata]], the lead singer of the punk band [[The Gits]], who had been murdered in 1993. Sommer had originally intended to sign The Gits to Atlantic before Zapata's death and prior to him signing Hootie & The Blowfish.<ref name="sommer" />

Hootie & the Blowfish have become known for their charity work. The entire band and crew traveled to New Orleans for five days of building houses in [[Musicians' Village]] on October 16–20, 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hootie & the Blowfish join Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans build Feature Story |url=http://thecelebritycafe.com/features/7793.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929111455/http://thecelebritycafe.com/features/7793.html |archive-date=2011-09-29 |access-date=2011-11-13 |publisher=Thecelebritycafe.com}}</ref> The band's members are avid golfers and have sponsored the annual spring Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament, benefiting local charities, since 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-04-08 |title=Hootie & The Blowfish Golf Tournament Page |url=http://www.hootiegolf.com/ |access-date=2011-11-13 |publisher=Hootiegolf.com}}</ref>

Hootie & the Blowfish toured through the Middle East and Europe, supporting American troops during a USO tour. On December 5, 1998, Darius Rucker broke into a cappella solo of [[The Star-Spangled Banner|the US National Anthem]] during the lowering of colors on board {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65}}, which was docked in [[Jebel Ali]], United Arab Emirates. The band then played an extended concert for crew members of the aircraft carrier.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100301151403/http://www.defense.gov/Photos/newsphoto.aspx?newsphotoid=1688 News Photo], Defense.gov. Retrieved August 2011</ref>

From 2005 to 2009, Hootie & the Blowfish performed at the Animal Mission's 'Party Animals' silent auction and concert to benefit the shelter animals in [[Columbia, South Carolina]]. Each year, the event raised over $100,000 and allowed the organization to provide a free spay/neuter program for the Southern community's pets. On October 18, 2008, Hootie & the Blowfish reunited to do a show at [[Incirlik Air Base]] in Turkey.

The band is a member of the Canadian charity Artists Against Racism and has worked with 
them on awareness campaigns like TV PSAs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Artists - Artists Against Racism |url=http://artistsagainstracism.org/artists/ |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=Artistsagainstracism.org}}</ref>