Darius Rucker ‘Devastated’ After the Death of a Crew Member

Darius Rucker and his touring family are mourning the loss of someone who spent more than two decades working with him on the road.

Jason Parkin, who died this week, was Rucker’s longtime production manager. Parkin hailed from Raleigh, N.C., and he also worked on Hootie & the Blowfish’s 2019 Group Therapy Tour, which Rucker fronted.

“For nearly 25 years, Jason ‘Devil Boy’ Parkin was a staple in our crew. He was more than our production manager, he was our brother,” Rucker writes in a statement. “We are devastated by his passing this week. Our prayers are with his family — thank you for loaning him to us all these years.”

Rucker adds, “Rest in peace, DB, til we meet again,” and included a photo of Parkin at work in a concert venue.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Parkin had a long career in the music and entertainment industries. His skills included “design, budgeting, hiring crew and vendors” as well as “loading trucks, making labor calls, coordinating catering, travel and stage management.”

He began working for Rucker and Hootie & the Blowfish in 1998 and was just two months shy of his 27th anniversary at the position at the time of his death.

Rucker’s most recent album, Carolyn’s Boy, came out in 2023. The album is dedicated to and takes its title from the singer’s mother.