FORT STEWART, Ga. -- Rising country star Darius Rucker, Country Music Association's New Artist of the Year for 2009, will be the lead performer July 2 as Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield celebrate the Independence Day weekend.
En Vogue, described as one of the most popular and successful R&B female groups of all time, will set the stage for Rucker's performance at Donovan Field East at Fort Stewart.
At Fort Stewart, many - but by no means all-Independence Day celebration activities will take place on July 2. The day's events will be capped by the Rucker/En Vogue concert, followed by the traditional fireworks display.
At Hunter, the Independence Day celebration continues Saturday, July 3. The schedule includes a Kids Fishing Tournament, a "Worth Fighting For!" Independence Day Weekend Golf Tournament at Hunter Golf Club, a Kids Carnival, featuring rides and concessions, musical entertainment by the Midway Allstars and a fireworks show.
The "Worth Fighting For" theme first used in 2009 was retained for this year's Independence Day Weekend Celebration July 1-4 by the 3rd ID and Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, along with Task Force Marne's U.S. Division-North, Iraq.
More than 15,600 Soldiers are deployed with Task Force Marne U.S. Division - North, Iraq in defense of what is "Worth Fighting For"-Our Freedom, Our Families, Our Homes, Our Way of Life, Each Other, Our Children's Future and Our Independence.
Soldiers downrange, in the spirit of camaraderie with Soldiers soon to join them in deployment and those serving back home, will use the "Worth Fighting For" theme in their observance of the birth of freedom.
The Independence Day celebration, always one of the most popular and extensive at Stewart and Hunter, features food, Family fun, fireworks, music and entertainment for children, for the young and for the young-at-heart.
About Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker's career path veered first into pop as the lead singer/co-writer for Hootie & the Blowfish. The Grammy-winning group's 1994 debut, Cracked Rear View, is one of the best-selling albums in history, surpassing the 16 million album mark.
In winning CMA's 2009 New Artist of the Year Award, the Charleston, S.C., native became the first black singer to do so. He joined Charlie Pride as one of the only African-Americans to win a major CMA award.
As the best country albums do, Rucker's "Learn to Live" takes the listener on a trip. The album's arc covers major life themes such as falling in love, birth and death. Guests on the album include Brad Paisley on the humorous, "All I Want," and Vince Gill and Alison Krauss on the inspirational, "If I Had Wings."
The success of first single, the bittersweet, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," shows Rucker had country fans at hello. Other top songs include "Alright," "History In The Making," "It Won't Be Like This For Long" and "While I Still Got The Time."
For Rucker, the welcome mat that country radio has laid out for him has been extraordinarily gratifying. "The reception has been unbelievable," he says. But smart programmers know that teens raised on Hootie are now confirmed country listeners, so hearing Rucker is like hearing an old friend.
While Hootie & the Blowfish is an ongoing project, Rucker's solo career is taking center stage for the foreseeable future.
About En Vogue
En Vogue produced a long line of R&B and pop hits in the 1990s, including "Hold On," "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)," "Giving Him Something He Can Feel," "Free Your Mind" and "Whatta Man" featuring Salt-N-Pepa.
The group is described as "fusing style, sophistication, sass and sex appeal." They have sold more than eight million albums.
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