With this year’s 16th annual “Darius and Friends” benefit concert bringing together Darius Rucker with friends Tyler Braden, Luke Bryan, Kashus Culpepper, Lanie Gardner, Morgan Wallen and Austin Williams at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium this Monday, June 2 – and dozens more joining the three-time GRAMMY Award-winner for the corresponding golf tournament yesterday, June 3 – the two-day event raised a record-setting high of $815,000+ for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, increasing the all-time total to more than $5.1 million.
“When we visited St. Jude’s campus in 2008, I pledged to help and here we are,” marveled Rucker. “The work they’re doing – the research, the breakthroughs – it’s incredible. And I’ll say this over-and-over; what gets me every time is knowing that families never get a bill. Not for treatment, travel, housing or food. That kind of support changes everything for families going through extraordinary circumstances, and I’m proud that my friends and I can be a small part of that relief.”
This year’s milestone fundraising event adds yet another successful page to the decade-plus history of “Darius and Friends.” Prior guests have included Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, John Daly, Dan + Shay, Vince Gill, Jamey Johnson, Jelly Roll, Charles Kelley of Lady A, Ashley McBryde, A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys, Megan Moroney, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers and Tommy Thayer of KISS, among many others.
In addition to the all-star concert lineup, this year’s golf tournament added Drew Baldridge, Priscilla Block, Tyler Braden, NFL Pro Bowler Randall Cobb, Travis Denning, Hannah Ellis, Walker Hayes, NSYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick, Tracy Lawrence, Bryce Leatherwood, Vincent Mason, Drake Milligan, Walker Montgomery, John Morgan, Dan + Shay’s Shay Mooney, Restless Road’s Garrett Nichols & Colton Pack, Eric Paslay, Shane Profitt, Michael Ray, Lily Rose, Schmitty, Matt Stell, Nick Wayne, Mark Wills and Scott Wolverton.
The annual fundraising event, made possible with support from generous sponsors AMD and The Law Office of Jennifer McCoy, helps ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – so they can focus on helping their child live.
This year’s “Darius and Friends” adds to an exciting season for the multi-time Diamond-certified superstar, who is actively working on new music expected later this year. Fans in town for CMA Fest can see Rucker perform at Nissan Stadium tomorrow, June 5, and his Darius Rucker Live tour kicks off in July. Tickets are on sale now HERE.
