Darius Rucker Explains Rowdy Collaboration for “Straight to Hell”

It has been almost 30 years ago when Darius Rucker first heard a song “Straight to Hell” and since then, he wanted to record it. However, only a chance call from Charles Kelley is needed for it to happen.

The song is a Drivin’ N Cryin’ cover written by singer Kevin Kinney. Rucker is a fan, but for whatever reason, he was never able to put it on a solo album, but then …

“Charles calls me out of the blue and says ‘Hey man I just listened to this Drivin’ N Cryin’ song, you should cut that ‘Straight to Hell,’” Rucker tells Taste of Country Nights. “I thought that was the universe telling me to cut the song. And at the end of it, he’s like, ‘I wanna sing it with you!’”

They got together and got to thinking that Luke Bryan would be a nice addition to the collaboration. Then, Rucker was hanging out with Jason Aldean and enthusiastically invited him onto the song, too. It worked out great and the result is a rowdy, loose departure from Rucker’s normally tightly-produced sound.

“I hope some awards show or something gives us an opportunity to come out and play that,” Rucker says, sharing that he wants to release it as a single at some point. The last time he released a cover song as a single it worked out for him pretty well, after all. “Wagon Wheel” was a chart-topping, Grammy winning career hit for the rocker-turned-country musician.

Find “Straight to Hell” on Rucker’s upcoming When Was the Last Time album, out Oct. 20. Chart-topping “If I Told You” and current single “For the First Time” is featured on the album.

I think “Straight to Hell” will be an interesting collaboration of our three of the most popular country music singers we have this time. In the meantime, since it’s not yet available, let’s enjoy Drivin’ and Cryin’s version below.

So, which one do you like better? Tell us your thoughts and comment below.