15 years ago, Darius Rucker pledged his support to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the money raised by Rucker has now surpassed the $3.6 million mark. The 14th Annual “Darius & Friends” benefit concert held last week, paired with a golf tournament and a silent auction, raised an all-time event high of $560,000.
Rucker shared with fans at the sold-out Ryman Auditorium: “We started this to be the first thing at CMA Fest and you guys have now made it a tradition. Thank y’all for coming out. Thank you for supporting St. Jude.”
The annual event is renowned for its surprise lineup of stars, and the 2023 edition of “Darius & Friends” included performances of over 30 hit songs throughout the night, including Rucker’s “Alright,” “Radio,” and “Southern State of Mind” as well as beloved favorites and covers from surprise guests Hardy, Jake Owen, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney and Vince Gill. Owen shared during his set: “I’m really grateful for my friend Darius. He’s a great dude and what he’s done for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a big, big thing and that’s something that’s really near and dear to our hearts as country artists. It’s ingrained in artists like myself throughout the years to use our platforms and Darius has done an incredible job with that. I’m super happy to be here.”
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