Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel” stopped short.
The Hootie & the Blowfish alum, 59, recently issued refunds to fans who attended his concert at the Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City on Saturday, July 12.
The country singer was forced to abruptly end his performance after losing his voice mid-show.
“Y’all, I can’t sing anymore,” Rucker told the audience. “This [has] never happened. I physically can’t sing, and I promise you on everything that I stand for I will make this up to you.”
The three-time Grammy winner was, however, able to finish singing his 2013 hit “Wagon Wheel” before leaving the stage.
The next day, Rucker took to his Instagram story to address the unexpected early end to his performance and apologize to fans.
“I feel awful, and I’m so sorry — I have never lost my voice in all my years of performing,” Rucker wrote on Sunday, July 13. “We looked at every option to reschedule, but unfortunately, it’s just not possible this year, so we’re issuing full refunds.”
“Thank you so much for all your kind messages wishing me well,” he concluded. “Love y’all, and see you soon!”
The concert marked the third stop on Rucker’s international tour, which kicked off in Maryland on July 10.
The singer is slated to perform next in Hollywood and Tampa, Florida, on July 19 and July 20, respectively.
After performing throughout the US, Rucker will head to the UK in late September and early October before returning to perform again in the US and Canada. The final show of the tour is set for December 13 in Naples, Florida.
The hitmaker’s voice issues come a year after he broke his silence about his 2024 drug-related arrest.
Rucker was arrested in Tennessee on February 1, 2024, after allegedly being caught with marijuana and psychedelic pills a year earlier.
“I went down, and we handled it,” the “It Won’t Be Like This For Long” singer said during a May 2024 appearance on the “Today” show. “My lawyers are taking care of it. It is what it is.”
He was booked on two counts of simple possession/casual exchange of a controlled substance and one count of a violation of the state’s vehicle registration law.
In June, Rucker shared that these days, his focus is on his music.
“I’m working on my album, I’m sure my single’s going to be coming out here soon, you know, and I’m ready for people hear that,” he told People. “I’m looking forward to finishing my record and getting that out. I think it’s refreshing, it’s new. I think my fans are gonna be really, really excited.”
Rucker’s last album, “Carolyn’s Boy,” was released in 2023.
“I went to London to get just a different flavor,” he recalled. “And I think I did that. I think people are going to like what we did.”
