IDAHO FALLS —Country music star Darius Rucker will help Idaho “Give Meth the Boot” with a benefit concert on Saturday, Aug. 3 at Melaleuca Field.

General admission tickets can be purchased for a minimum donation of $34 at Idaho.MethProject.org or at all Southeast Idaho Community Care and East Idaho Credit Union locations. People can also call 208-239-METH to order tickets by phone.

Rucker was the frontman for Grammy-award winning 90’s pop rock band Hootie and the Blowfish. He embarked on a solo country music career in 2008. He has released three solo albums and had six top ten singles on the Billboard U.S. Country music chart, including “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” “It Won’t Be Like This For Long,” “Alright,” and “History in the Making.”

Rucker is no stranger to using his vocal and song writing talents for a good cause. An avid golf fan, he participates in the annual “Darius and Friends concert and auction that benefits St. Jude’s Children’s hospital, “Together Anything is Possible,” which benefits PGA charities, and the annual Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After the Masters celebrity pro-am golf tournament.

While Idaho is a long way from his home town of Charlston, South Carolina, Rucker says that lending his talents to help others is always something he is willing to do.

“They called me and asked me to play a show and it sounded great. I like to help people, and they talked about the big meth problem that was there and that’s sad. It saddens me, and if my little hour and a half show can help in any way I will be there.”

Gina Heideman, Executive Director for the Idaho Meth Project says the concert is a great way for people in Southeast Idaho to attend a great concert and help a great cause. This is the third year a major performing artist has been brought in to raise money for the meth project. In 2008 Lady Antebellum performed at the Colonial Theater in Idaho Falls and last year country artist Josh Turner performed.

“What we try to do is bring in an artist who will be popular,” said Heideman, “We felt like he (Darius Rucker) would be an artist who would help everyone. It is a great opportunity for people to hear a great artist.”

Because sponsors such as Mountain View Hospital are offsetting the costs involved with hosting the concert, the proceeds from the show will benefit the Idaho Meth Project, including the preventative campaign which includes radio and TV commercials.

“The prevention campaign is working, and is valuable to Southeast Idaho,” added Heideman, “Their donation goes to the mission.”

Rucker’s concert will be mostly made up of songs from his solo albums, but he says he also throws in some Hootie and the Blowfish songs.

“I play the show that people pay their money to see, and if I didn’t play ‘Let Her Cry,’ or ‘Hold My Hand,’ I’d be ripping those people off,” he joked.

Rucker adds that he still enjoys playing the songs that made him a household name in the 90s.

“When I play the first chord of ‘Let Her Cry,’ and I hear the crowd — I’ll play that song 18,000 times.”

Rucker recently completed recording his third solo album, and singles from the upcoming release should be heard on the radio soon.

Folk rock band The Clumsy Lovers are scheduled to open the show. Doors will open at 6 p.m. The concert is open to all ages, and people are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to the concert.

For more information on the concert or the Idaho Meth Project, go to www.idaho.methproject.org