Darius Rucker is listening to his mother. The singer was among the 500 volunteers who turned out Monday for a cleanup project in the city's Lower Ninth Ward. The neighborhood was among the hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina back in 2005, and the recovery process for the community has been very slow going. Rucker told New Orleans' ABC26 he was there simply because it was the right thing to do. He explained, quote, "My mom's always said to me, you know, if you can help, help. And I've been blessed by God with my life, and so anytime I can, you know, I do." While volunteers tackled such project as mowing lawns, cleaning lots, and weatherized homes, Rucker said recent knee surgery would keep him from doing a lot of the heavy manual labor. But he noted he would be, quote, "doing as much as I can," and showing his support to the other volunteers -- which included actor Dennis Haysbert.
Rucker was in New Orleans in conjunction with the Sugar Bowl. He performed at a pre-game event Monday night, and sang the national anthem at the start of the college football game on Tuesday.
