Darius Rucker insists being a dad is his most important job

Darius Rucker has declared being a dad is his most important role in life.

The 57-year-old Hootie and the Blowfish star gave a special shout out to his three children - Caroline, 28, Danielle, 22, and Jack, 18 - when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles this week insisting fatherhood means much more to him than his music career.

During his speech at the event on Monday (04.12.23), the country singer explained: "Carrie, Dani and Jack are my heart, they're my soul. They're everything to me and everything I do is for them."

He turned to his kids and added: "It's just been an amazing thing to be your father. As great as all this stuff is, it's not as cool as being your dad, and I really mean that. I love you guys so much."

Darius added of the star honour: "This is stuff you don’t even dream about when you’re from South Carolina. You know, struggling, growing up, and just wanting to be a singer - that’s all I ever wanted to be was a singer. But you never dream that this stuff is going to happen.

"I’m walking the streets the other day, and I’m seeing Marilyn Monroe and Charley Pride and seeing Buddy Hackett, and I’m just like, these are names that are stuck in my mind because they were big stars. To be here, right here with a star on the Walk of Fame, I said over there, it’s the biggest thing that’s happened to me."

It comes after Darius split from his wife Beth Leonard - the mother of his three kids - earlier this year after more than two decades of marriage.

The 'Only Wanna Be With You' hitmaker previously explained he felt like a "failure" following the breakdown of his marriage but insisted that he and his loved ones are all still a family.

He told People: "That stuff hurts and you feel like a failure. But we’re still a family — a piece of paper is not going to change that. We’re still a family, and that’s all because Beth is awesome. She knows it’s the best for the kids, and she’s a great human being. I'm not thinking about [dating] right now.

“I’m just trying to be the best dad I can be for those grown kids."