Darius Rucker Explains What He Learned Through Divorce: ‘Life Goes On’

Darius Rucker's divorce from his wife Beth is, all things considered, pretty amicable. Still, it's a big life shift: The couple were married for two decades and share two children together.

In a new conversation with Kelleigh Bannen for Today's Country Radio on Apple Music Country, Rucker explains what he's learned during the divorce process. Rucker and his now ex-wife are currently at least three years removed from their initial separation: They first announced their split in mid-2020.

"My 50-something self is a lot more forgiving than the mid-20-something self," he acknowledges. "You have to [be forgiving] because life goes on. Your kids are still your kids, and you have a life, and you try to make the best of it."

He also adds he and Beth have no bad blood between them.

"I always say, [my ex-wife] is a saint. She's an amazing human being, and she's a great mom, and we get through life," the singer continues.

Aside from the lessons he's learned about himself — and the resilience that he and Beth still share — Rucker says his divorce has opened his eyes to just how many resources are available to couples going through hard times.

"I learned how there's help out there for people," he says. "Being raised the way I was, that's not always — and in the Black community especially, that's frowned upon a lot, too. But I learned that there's a lot of people out there that'll talk to you, that'll help you a lot."

Of course, music has always helped Rucker process his emotions, too. One song on his latest album, Carolyn's Boy, refers to his divorce, and it's so personal he almost didn't record it. That's "Never Been Over," a track that Rucker now points to as one of the most special on his album.

"Music's always been my therapy a lot. And you write a song like that, and you sing it over and over, and you cry sometimes when you sing it," he relates. "It's just one of those songs, and I love it. That song for me, when we were done with it, I was like, 'Man, that was therapy right there.'"

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Carolyn's Boy came out in October. The album's title is a tribute to Rucker's mother.