On ‘Carolyn’s Boy,’ Darius Rucker pays loving tribute to his greatest inspiration: his late mother

By MARIA SHERMAN
AP Music Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — On Friday, Darius Rucker released “Carolyn’s Boy,” an album in tribute to his late mom, who died in 1992 from a heart attack. That was two years before his band, Hootie and the Blowfish, released their debut record “Cracked Rear View.” It went No. 1 and eventually become two-time diamond certified. She didn’t get to experience his incredible success in the rock band, or in the 2000s when he became a Grammy award winning country music superstar. Rucker tells The Associated Press that this album is a collection of joyful songs in honor of his biggest supporter. Ed Sheeran co-wrote on the record and family trio Chapel Hart are featured.