“I was born with a heart with a beat like a rolling stone Never did I realize where I was supposed to belong I never knew what I was meant to do I never made sense to me 'til I made sense to you …” — Darius Rucker, "My Masterpiece" because it was the longest any of us had ever gone without playing to a live audience,” he said. “You know, I hadn’t gone two months without playing probably since I was about 19 or 20, so it was such a relief.” Rucker was a late bloomer of sorts when it came to festival experiences. Surprisingly, the man who would one day headline some of the country’s biggest music fests never found himself in the festival audience while growing up. “The first music festival I attended was one I played with Hootie and the Blowfish at Five Points in Columbia,” he remembered. “Those early festivals, especially the big ones, were Carolina Country Music Fest, Myrtle Beach because the crowds were so fun and great.” Here’s something else that’s great: the return of music festivals across the Palmetto State. Organizers have been busy securing entertainment, recruiting vendors and tweaking protocol strategies to ensure a safe environment as music lovers gather to celebrate the world’s most universal language. Here are some of Rucker’s favorite fests guaranteed to make fans and musicians feel like they are finally back where they belong. The Greenville Country Music Fest in Simpsonville has only been around since 2019, but it quickly evolved into an end-of-summer ritual for music lovers across the Carolinas. The vibe is loose and special. It was something we wanted to do again 4
South Carolina Vacation Guide SC2022: Page 4
