Country Music Star Abruptly Leaves Live Show, Apologizes to Fans

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Attending a concert can be a great experience. Getting to see your favorite artist or hear your favorite song live is a real treat for music lovers, but an audience in Atlantic City was recently disappointed when a concert abruptly ended.

Last weekend in New Jersey, country star Darius Rucker was forced to end a concert early as he was unable to sing.

While performing his hit song "Wagon Wheel," Rucker said "Y'all, I can't sing anymore."

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"This never happened. I physically can't sing, and I promise you on everything that I stand for I will make this up to you."

A fan recorded the moment on video while filming the concert on Saturday at the Hard Rock Casino.

The day after the show, Rucker apologized to fans on Instagram and tried to explain what happened.

"I feel awful and I'm so sorry — I have never lost my voice in all my years of performing," the singer said.

"We looked at every option to reschedule, but unfortunately, it's just not possible this year, so we're issuing full refunds. Thank you so much for all your kind messages wishing me well. Love y'all and see you soon!"

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Rucker began an international tour earlier this month, and the stop in Atlantic City was the third show on the tour. He'll head to Florida this weekend for stops in Hollywood and Tampa before making his way to the midwest with stops in Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri.

The tour will head to the United Kingdom in the fall, and then back to the U.S. and Canada before finishing up in Florida in mid-December.

Rucker first rose to prominence as the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish in the 1990s. After starting among college friends at the University of South Carolina, the Blowfish went on to win Grammy awards and sell millions of records around the world.

Rucker made his solo debut in the early 2000s and became a star in his own right, winning the New Artist Award following a pivot to country in the latter part of the decade.

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He released "Learn to Live" in 2008, and the album remains his highest-selling work, featuring singles like "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" and "Alright."

Country Music Star Abruptly Leaves Live Show, Apologizes to Fans first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 16, 2025