Runaway Country came to the Silver Spurs Rodeo grounds in Kissimmee, Florida this weekend. The 80-acre complex’s three-day festival resembled an RV convention with competition tailgating in the parking lot. That’s something here in the south that we normally reserve for American football. Located in the rear of the property were two erected stages. The Main stage was like those that are constructed in stadium concerts. The smaller stage in the back, called “My Apartment”, signified the difference in size between the two. The smaller stage was for artists that are up and coming.

Darius Rucker was the headlining act was on Sunday, the last day. The 52-year-old star took country music by storm ten years ago when releasing his first hit single “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It”. Later in 2009, he charted two more hit singles, “It Won’t Be Like This For Long”, and “Alright”. Rucker also was tapped that year for The New Artist Award from the Country Music Association. Those that have followed the career of Darius Carlos Rucker, remember him fondly as “Hootie” from the Grammy Award winning band “Hootie and The Blowfish” which he founded in 1986 while attending The University of South Carolina. That band recorded five studio albums and charted six top 40 hits.

With such diversity, and so much material from two genres, there wasn’t a fan in attendance that felt left out, or unfulfilled. Personally, I enjoyed the walk down memory lane as Darius Rucker performed “Let Her Cry”, and “I Only Wanna Be With You”. He even got a little funky with “Friends in Low Places” written by Garth Brooks.

The songs were great, but the showmanship and professionalism displayed by this seasoned veteran was “the show”. His pure love of performing was on display during this two hour show. I believe Darius Rucker would be successful no matter what genre he decides to tackle in his future.