Darius Rucker Raises Another Incredible Sum for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Rucker's annual benefit concert and celebrity gold tournament raised more than $4 million for St. Jude.

By Stephen Andrew

Darius Rucker has been raising big money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for many years, and he's done it yet again. Almost 20 years after his first visit to the medical facility, the CMA Humanitarian of the Year has raised more than $4 million total. This year's 15th annual "Darius and Friends" benefit concert on Monday night, June 3, which was paired with a corresponding celebrity golf tournament on June 4, raised $715,000.

In a press release, it was noted that the big benefit concert was "sold out well in advance despite the three-time GRAMMY winner's famous friends not being revealed until they took the stage." Some of the surprise guests included Ingrid Andress, Dan + Shay, Jamey Johnson, Chase Matthew, and Shane Profitt. Additionally, Rucker was joined by his Hootie & the Blowfish bandmate Mark Bryan for performances, fresh off the opening weekend of the group's Summer Camp with Trucks Tour.

Less than a year ago Kelly Clarkson surprised Rucker with his CMA Humanitarian of the Year Award honor, on her daytime talk show. During an October episode, Rucker was a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show to discuss his newest album, Carolyn's Boy, as well as his charitable endeavors. At one point during their conversation, Clarkson revealed that the CMA has chosen Rucker as the 2023 recipient of their annual humanitarian honor.

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Rucker is a four-time CMA Awards nominee, taking home the CMA New Artist of the Year honor in 2009, and much of his work stems from his support of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. In 2023, Rucker's benefit concert surpassed the $3.6 million mark, raising funds to benefit the research hospital leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases."

The longtime Hootie and the Blowfish frontman "also co-chaired the capital campaign that generated $150 million to help build the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital in his hometown of Charleston, S.C. – an effort directly inspired by his mom's career as a MUSC nurse – and has advocated for over 200 charitable causes supporting public education and junior golf programs in South Carolina through the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation while also serving as a National Chair for the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville."

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