How Darius Rucker Is Doing Following Divorce From His Wife of 20 Years

Darius Rucker is opening up about his divorce from Beth Leonard. More than three years after announcing in July 2020 that they were going their separate ways after 20 years of marriage, at the time adding that they remained “close friends and parenting partners,” the former Hootie & the Blowfish lead vocalist told Apple Music’s Today’s Country Radio with Kelleigh Bannen that he has learned “a lot” about himself following the separation.

Asked about his life post-divorce and what he has learned, the country singer, 57, told host Bannen, “I learned how there’s help out there for people.” Rucker went on to explain, “being raised the way I was and where I was, that’s not always … and in the Black community especially, that’s frowned upon a lot, too. But I learned that there’s a lot of people out there that’ll talk to you, that’ll help you a lot.”

The musician, who revealed in October that he and Leonard are “not officially divorced yet,” went on to credit music with helping him through the divorce, telling Bannen that music has “always been my therapy.” In October, Rucker released his latest album, Carolyn’s Boy, which contains the track, “”Never Been Over,” which is about his split. Rucker said that when you “write a song like that, and you sing it over and over, and you cry sometimes when you sing it. It’s just one of those songs, and I love it.” The Grammy winner shared that when he finished it, he “was like, ‘Man, that was therapy right there.’”

In a joint statement in July 2020, Rucker and Leonard announced their decision to separate. The couple said that “after much reflection we have made the decision to consciously uncouple. We remain close friends and parenting partners and continue to be each other’s biggest cheerleaders.”

After their split, the musician told PEOPLE that he turned to music to express and process his feelings, sharing, “you try to do it as real as you can. I’m not a big talk-to-you guy, but I can sit down and write a song about it.” According to Rucker, a love of music is something he shares with his children. The artist all three of his kids can sing, adding that Jack and Daniela both “want to be in the business,” joking, “I wanted them to be doctors and lawyers!”

Last month, the “Only Wanna Be with You” singer told PEOPLE got candid about life after divorce and how he processed the end of his 20-year marriage, sharing, “you try to express those feelings, and it’s hard to say and it’s hard to put that on paper.” He also opened up about potentially hopping back in the dating pool, telling the outlet, “I’m not thinking about that right now. I’m just trying to be the best dad I can be for those grown kids.”