While synonymous with the University of South Carolina and laid-back Southern rock, the Grammy-winning band Hootie & the Blowfish has surprising and significant ties to Montgomery County, Maryland. For many local fans, this connection adds a special layer of pride to the band’s enduring legacy, particularly given the band’s enormous success with their July 1994 debut album, Cracked Rear View.
The deepest roots of Hootie & the Blowfish in MoCo can be traced to two of its founding members, guitarist Mark Bryan and bassist Dean Felber. Both Bryan and Felber are proud alumni of Seneca Valley High School in Germantown. In fact, Bryan was born in Silver Spring and Felber in Bethesda. It was at the University of South Carolina where they met Darius Rucker, who would become their iconic lead singer, and eventually Jim Sonefeld, forming the classic lineup.
Their Montgomery County connection extends beyond their formative years. One of their most beloved and commercially successful singles, “Only Wanna Be With You,” from the monumental Cracked Rear View album, has a unique local connection to Poolesville. A portion of the song’s highly recognizable music video was filmed right here in the county, specifically at the old pro shop/bar of the Poolesville golf course and the Potomac Valley Lodge. This visual nod to a quieter, more rural side of Montgomery County adds an unexpected local flavor to one of the biggest hits of the 1990s.
The band’s early career saw them touring extensively, building a loyal following through their energetic live shows across the Mid-Atlantic. While their formation and rise to superstardom happened primarily in South Carolina, the foundation of their musical collaboration was built, in part, on friendships and experiences forged in Montgomery County.
Even after achieving global fame and selling over 21 million albums in the United States alone, the band members have maintained a connection to their roots. Mark Bryan, for instance, has continued to perform, sometimes with his band “The Screaming Trojans,” a playful nod to the mascots of his own Seneca Valley Screaming Eagles and the Gaithersburg Trojans.