Why Darius Rucker Is Splitting From His Wife Of 20 Years

It seems like Darius Rucker might not be a true believer in love after all. On July 11, 2020, the country star announced via Instagram that he and his wife, Beth Leonard, were calling it quits after 20 years of marriage. The former flames first met in New York in 1998. At the time, Leonard was working for VH1, while Rucker found himself in the Big Apple thanks to a gig with his band, Hootie & the Blowfish. The songwriter told The Boot in 2010, "I had been trying to get her to go out with me, and she wouldn't...I was in New York [with Hootie & the Blowfish], and it was one of those rare nights off...I was just in my hotel room. She called me and said, 'Hey, do you want to go see this play?' I was like, 'Sure!'" After that night, Rucker apparently knew that Leonard was the one for him, and he told The Boot, "She was walking up the stairs [to her apartment], and I said, 'Well, you know that I'm going to marry you, right?' She just laughed." Rucker and Leonard tied the knot on December 9, 2000. So, how did the couple go from head over heels in love to calling it quits? On July 11, 2020, country star Rucker announced that he and his wife were going their separate ways. He revealed on Instagram, "Beth and I would like to share that after much reflection we have made the decision to consciously uncouple. We remain close friends and parenting partners and continue to be each other’s biggest cheerleaders. Our priority will always be our beautiful family." Even though the couple, who share daughter Daniella and son Jack, are no longer in a relationship, they made it clear that there is no ill-will between them whatsoever, explaining, "We have so much love in our hearts for each other and will continue to encourage growth and expansion in one other. Please be kind as we take on this journey, and we thank you for your love and support always." Prior to the split, Rucker couldn't help but gush about his wife. So much so, the "Wagon Wheel" singer wrote the song "Alright" about his relationship, according to Wide Open Country. But were things behind the scenes really as "alright" as he suggested? In 2011, the Grammy winner told The Boot, "Marriage is not easy...You have to decide to work. That's what it really comes down to, two people deciding to stay together or not." At the end of the day, Rucker cherished every moment with his wife and attempted to make her feel special at all times, as he told The Boot, "I work hard to let my wife know how much I love her...I try to do that every day." However, Rucker also hinted that he may not be the easiest partner to be with, as he explained, "Romantic stuff is not something I really remember...I'm sure she could tell you some stuff that I've done that's really cool, but for me, I just want her to be happy. She's a strong woman. It's hard to be married to me, and it was a lot harder when I was younger!" Darius Rucker became the lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish when the group formed in 1986, and from there, his career took off. Since Rucker was part of a successful rock band, he was on the road a lot and dabbled in the party scene. He told the Los Angeles Times in 2013, "Doing drugs and drinking every night, I've done that...Trust me, I've done enough for everybody. And it's just not how I want to live anymore." Luckily, Leonard was by his side through the ups and downs and late nights. Of his wife's support, Rucker told The Boot in 2011, "I thank her every day for staying with me and being the strong woman she is, because with Hootie & the Blowfish, I could be gone for three months and then I'd come home for two days and then I'd be gone again for a month, and she put up with all that." Despite there being so much love and respect between them, Leonard and Rucker sadly couldn't salvage their relationship. We're wishing Rucker and Leonard all the best moving forward. Watch the video to see Why Darius Rucker Is Splitting From His Wife Of 20 Years. #DariusRucker #Hootie #Hootie&TheBlowfish