Quotes from Darius Rucker

Arnold Palmer is my favorite, just getting to know him and all of the film on him and his game. He was the first real superstar in golf. You had Bobby Jones and all of those guys, but Arnold Palmer was bigger than life.

I have major respect for Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood and Sugarland. They are wonderful. They're superstars in the music business.

All the doors that I had to close. All the things I knew but I didn't know. Thank God for all I missed. 'Cause it led me here to this.

I believe that one of the reasons I get to play golf all over the world is because of the barriers that Lee Elder broke down. I just think he's amazing.

It's about the music, not the color of the person playing the music.

I think the people who are sitting in their living room doing those, 'Let's take country music back' blogs and all that stuff, that's crazy to me. No one's saying that about rock & roll, and no one sounded like the Beatles since 1960. No one says that about R&B, and no one sounded like the Commodores since 1970.

I expect to make a career out of country music.

I've always listened to country music. I wanted Hootie to become a country band at first, but I was outvoted.

People go, 'Oh, you're another guy who crossed over to country.' I say, name another one. Name one other pop singer who's done what I've done as a country singer. There isn't one.

I played every position, from right tackle to quarterback and everything in between.

Everything that I do on stage comes from seeing the Black Crowes in '95 in Charlotte. For 'Let Her Cry,' I was just trying to write 'She Talks to Angels.'

I always tell people, the first time I heard 'She Talks To Angels,' those lyrics did something to me.

The music I like or the football teams I like or the food I eat has nothing to do with me being black.

You gotta laugh and love and take all life has to give. You gotta live and learn so you can learn to live.

With 'Wagon Wheel,' I loved the visual it painted, and it's a song I can truly say I look forward to performing every night.

I always say, no matter what happens to me as a black man in country music, I can handle it if Charley Pride could handle all the stuff he went through.

I'd be lying to say I've not experienced a lot of racism in my life; it's very much alive. I don't let it bother me. I couldn't be the singer I am if I didn't let it go.

I'm not a studio rat. I do find sitting around playing the same song 12 times kind of tedious. I like to get in and get out.

Ric Flair was such a huge part of my childhood and teen years. He's an icon.

I've got some great stuff in my sports memorabilia collection. But my favorite thing by far is the robe. I actually have a Ric Flair robe with 'the Nature Boy' on the back. That's awesome. When I look at it, it brings back so many memories of my childhood and my teen years.

I'm a kid who grew up in an all African-American neighborhood and got into schools and aspired to just be me, and didn't worry about labels or anything. Just wanted to be a success at what I did.

Ray Charles has always been a big part of my life.

When I was growing up, I always knew that if I ever got anything, I was going to give back as much as I can. I learned that all you have to be willing to do is give your time.

I remember riding around with my friends with 'Ain't Even Done with the Night' cranked up and my windows down. Those were great days.