In recent years a lot of rock and pop artists -- from Jon Bon Jovi to Jessica Simpson -- have fled toward the warm embrace of the country music charts with mixed success.

If Darius Rucker, longtime lead singer of the South Carolina traditional rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, has an easier time than others, it's because he doesn't have as far to go. As heard on smash hits like "Hold My Hand" and "Only Wanna Be With You," Hootie's acoustic guitar-driven hooks and Rucker's distinctive drawl-inflected baritone have always positioned the band, Rucker says, "as close to country as you could get without being country."

But this month the 42-year-old Charleston native, who once appeared in a Burger King commercial in a cowboy outfit, makes it official with the release of his first bona fide country album. Due for release Sept. 16, Learn To Live has guest appearances by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss. And with the leadoff single "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" already climbing the charts, the album is being touted as a genuine country record, not just the dabbling of a honky-tonk dilettante.

Calling from his children's dentist's appointment, Rucker, who performs Thursday as part of the country-themed Y'allapalooza festival at Southaven's Snowden Grove Amphitheater, discussed his own country roots, his early solo misfire, and the questionable fate of Hootie:

Q: Why make a country record now?

A: I've been thinking and talking about making one for a long time, and it just happened that Hootie started winding down. I was going to do it on my own in our basement, and I was talking to our manager about it. He ended up having dinner with the president of Capitol Records one night, and the next thing I know I've got a record deal. That made doing it a little easier.

Q: Was country music something you had always been into?

A: I've listened to it my whole life. Randy Foster (of '80s duo Foster & Lloyd)... the first time I heard his "Crazy Over You" back in the late '80s, early '90s, that was just a great moment for me. Growing up in South Carolina it was always around, and I listened to it. But when I discovered Randy Foster and Dwight Yoakam and Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith, it was another awakening for me.

Q: You've said that a lot of the songs you brought to Hootie were originally country, which the guys in the band had to "rock" up.

A: That was always their knock against me, and one of the big jokes when it came songwriting time was that Darius is going to bring us five country tunes. Even something like "Let Her Cry" or "Old Man & Me." I remember "Old Man & Me" being like an old country tune that they turned into this big rock tune.

Q: You collaborated on this record with some of Nashville's top tunesmiths -- Rivers Rutherford (Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Gretchen Wilson), Frank Rogers (Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins) and Clay Mills (Diamond Rio, Reba McEntire). Was writing this album much different from a Hootie record?

A: This was the first time I'd written with a partner. I mean, for a couple of Hootie records I collaborated with people on songs, but this is the first time I really went out and co-wrote completely the way I did. I loved it.

Q: You also have some guest performers.

A: Having Alison Krauss, Vince Gill and Brad Paisley on your record adds credibility for sure. All the performers were so great, and so great at what they do. These people are at the top of their genre, and for them to take their time and come down to sing and play was awesome. ... Everybody delivers when they show up. Listening to Brad Paisley play guitar on my song was a day I'll never forget.

Q: This is actually your second solo record after 2002's soul-rock effort Back To Then. Besides the style of music, how are the two records different?

A: That's like a totally different person that made that record. That was just me trying to break away from Hootie and prove to the world that I was black. I did it, and it was fun. I love R&B and everything, but that really wasn't where I was at. That's not the kind of music I should be doing.

Q: Are you saying Learn To Live is a lot closer to the real Darius Rucker?

A: I feel a lot more comfortable in general. I think with that record, I was trying to be somebody else. With this record -- that was the best part -- I was just being myself.

Q: So the news that broke last weekend is that Hootie is officially now on hiatus. Is that the right word?

A: Yeah, we're taking a break, and I love how it's being portrayed as all because of me. But I laugh at that. People just wanted to take the time off. We've been doing this every summer for 22 years. For nine years, there it was every day. So everybody just wanted to do something different, and I wanted to do this. So we said we'll play together again someday. We just don't know when.

Q: So with the CD due in stores next week, is the plan to hit the road?

A: Yeah, I've put together a band, real Nashville cats. We're going to have some fun. A lot of fun. We're going to play some shows in the fall, and then I think I'm going to do Brad Paisley's tour in January. I think me, Brad and Dierks Bentley. It's pretty much a sure thing. It'll be a great show. I'd go see it."

Y'allapalooza!

Featuring Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Jamey Johnson and Chris Young

Thursday at the Snowden Grove Amphitheater in Southaven.

Gates open at 4 p.m.

General admission lawn seats are $20; reserved seats, $30. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and (901) 525-1515. For more information, visit snowdengroveamphitheater.com.