“Music is such therapy for me. When I’m writing a song I’ll say something I didn’t know I was bothered about”: For Darius Rucker, the industry has brought joy and cut him to the bone. Now he’s written a book on living with his mental health challenges

Darius Rucker.

This article is part of Guitar World's series of interviews and features with artists addressing and raising awareness around themes of mental health, particularly as they relate to musicians.

Before three Grammy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, multi-platinum albums as lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Hootie & the Blowfish, four No. 1 country albums and 10 No. 1 country radio singles on his own, Darius Rucker was simply “Carolyn’s boy,” a self-described “little kid from South Carolina that just wanted to sing.”