HOOTIE AND THE BLOW OFF (Items on Darius Rucker, Charlie Louvin, Raul Malo, Randy Owen)

'Caught a story at GAC , which caught a story in The Washington Post , that had an interesting tidbit about Darius Rucker's road to country success this year: Before he recorded as a solo country act, he suggested to his Hootie & the Blowfish mates that the entire outfit shift their musical focus to country .
"On our last three records, the conversation was, 'Hey, man, let's do the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band thing and make country records.' I thought it was a no-brainer move." Darius sez.
"When we jam, it's bluegrass and country music. When we need to sound-check, we play country songs. But some of the guys didn't want to do it. We're a rock band; we have our niche. I understand. "
"But I made it perfectly clear that I was gonna do it myself, as soon as I could." Darius mentions in the story that Hootie rakes in millions touring every summer and I guess that scratch is scratched for the dudes, since, as Darius has mentioned a lot this year, he's a country artist for good: "I'm gonna be doing this until I've got my own theater in Branson."
However, the dudes still have some charity shows to work together in 2009 and, um, some "Musical Chairs" as Hootie drummer Jim "Soni" Sonefeld just married the ex-wife of guitarist Mark Bryan .
You can catch Darius on TNT's "Christmas in Washington" special tonight.

Tell that to the Guy in Reno: 81-year old Charlie Louvin on releasing two albums in 2008, to The Wall Street Journal (!): "I'm in good health, so if I didn't do this, it would strictly mean I was lazy. I've never been that kind of person."
Also quotable from Charlie, who poses with a gun inside of his "Charlie Louvin Sings Murder Ballads and Disaster Songs" disc: "You don't have to shoot a man to kill him."
Meanwhile, Charlie's '08 output constitutes two-thirds of the best three country albums of the year, sez this scribe , who's Louvin' it.

Music for All Occasions: Nice article on Raul Malo , who'll release a new album in March , in The Houston Chronicle. Learn which Elvis platter was his first album, how he grew up on "Hee Haw," being deprived of a guitar while a Maverick and how hearing Andy Williams meant Christmas was coming.

An Orland Park Prairie Companion: If you run into Randy Owen this week, be sure to present him with a birthday cake, since he's close to celebrating and fans in Illinois brought him one at a book signing .