ONLINE: Hootie & the Blowfish

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Todd & Chris Owyoung

Hootie & the Blowfish (left to right): Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, Darius Rucker, Jim “Soni” Sonefeld.

media release: Sessions is excited to announce a new livestream performance by one of America’s most beloved bands, Grammy-winning Hootie & the Blowfish. The virtual performance will be an online presentation of the tour-closing performance from their hugely successful 2019 Group Therapy Tour, broadcast exclusively via Sessions Live on Friday, April 23, at 6PM PT/9PM ET. 

The acclaimed group will perform some of their greatest hits, including “Hold My Hand,” “Only Wanna Be With You,” “Time” and “Let Her Cry” in never-before-aired footage from their sold-out homecoming stop in Columbia, South Carolina – the band’s first return to playing the city where it all began in almost 20 years. Fans who missed out on attending the live shows, or who want to relive those fun nights they shared together, can tune in to experience this live stream.

“We loved every minute of being back on stage together – especially in Columbia,” shared lead singer Darius Rucker. “We all miss live music right now, so we’re really excited to be able to offer this show to our fans who can now experience the energy of that night from home.”

“We’re thrilled that Hootie & the Blowfish have chosen to make Sessions the home for this very special performance,” said Sessions co-Founder Tim Westergren. “Live streaming continues to integrate ever more closely with physical performances as globally popular artists discover the value of an infinite virtual stage.”   

Early-bird GA tickets priced at $15 are on sale now at SessionsLive.com/Hootie/tickets. GA ticket prices will increase to $20 on April 20 at 9 p.m. ET. VIP ticket packages priced at $250 are also available, which include access to the live stream as well as an autographed tour pass and access to an exclusive virtual afterparty Q&A session with the band.

Formed at the University of South Carolina in 1986 in Columbia, the band broke through with their Billboard chart-topping 1994 debut Cracked Rear View, which has been certified Diamond and remains among the top 10 best-selling studio albums of all time. The band’s blend of rock, blues, soul, and pop music endeared them to fans worldwide, helping them sell more than 25 million records to date. In addition to the sold-out Group Therapy Tour, the band also released new album Imperfect Circle in late 2019 under a new record deal with Universal Music Group’s Capitol Nashville.

About Hootie & the Blowfish

With the rich, bluesy vocals of Darius Rucker and gleeful harmonies of guitarist Mark Bryan, bassist Dean Felber and drummer Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Hootie & the Blowfish have sold over 25 million records worldwide to date after their infectious melodies hit the airwaves in 1994 with hits such as "Hold My Hand," "Let Her Cry" and "Only Wanna Be With You."

The quartet met at the University of South Carolina where endless gigs at frat houses and local bars built a major local buzz. Their blend of pop, folk, blues, soul and rock made them hard to pigeonhole, but easily accessible to anyone who loved good music.   

Atlantic Records, impressed by their regional draw, signed them and released Cracked Rear View in 1994. The album had been out for six months before the band played on the Late Show with David Letterman which sent sales skyrocketing, eventually landing at No. 1 on the Billboard chart the following spring. Cracked Rear View and the band went on to win two GRAMMY Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, and multiple People's Choice Awards. Cracked Rear View went on to earn the band Billboard's Band of the Year Award in 1996 and the RIAA's Diamond Award for sales in excess of 10 million units. Cracked Rear View remains among the Top 10 best-selling studio albums in music business history.  

The band remained a top draw nationwide and released five more albums for Atlantic: Fairweather Johnson, Musical Chairs, Scattered, Smothered & Covered, Hootie & The Blowfish and The Best of Hootie & The Blowfish, as well as Looking For Lucky on their own Sneaky Long Records and LIVE in Charleston, The Homegrown Concert Event DVD and CD. The band took a break from full-time touring in 2007, reuniting annually for a variety of philanthropic events while also pursuing solo projects. 2019 marked the band's first full-time touring year in over a decade as they embarked on the sold-out Group Therapy Tour in support of Imperfect Circle, released in late 2019 under a new record deal with Universal Music Group’s Capitol Nashville.