‘Darius And Friends’ Wraps 16th Annual Benefit Concert

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Darius Rucker. Photo: Catherine Powell

Darius Rucker hosted the 16th annual “Darius and Friends” concert on Monday (June 2) at the Ryman Auditorium benefiting St. Jude. The event featured performances from Rucker as well as special guests including Morgan Wallen, Tyler Braden, Luke Bryan, Kashus Culpepper, Lanie Gardner and Austin Williams.

Lanie Gardner. Photo: Catherine Powell

After a live auction and donation round, Rucker kicked off the main event with a newly-written song plus a duo of fan favorite hits including his 10th and most recent No. 1 single “Beers and Sunshine” plus “Radio.” He then introduced the first friend of the evening, with rising star Williams, who will join Rucker on tour this fall, taking the stage to perform his popular “90s Rap Mashup” as well as his latest single, “Crazy Over You.” Culpepper, who is also set to tour with Rucker this fall, received a standing ovation from the packed house for a set featuring his own “Southern Man” and “Pour Me Out” as well as a cover of The Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See.” Appalachian singer-songwriter Gardner added heartfelt performances of “Six Feet Deep” and “Cry” as well as “Takin’ The Slow Ride” off her forthcoming EP Polaroids, arriving this Friday, June 6.

As is customary at the annual event, Rucker also returned to the stage between each guest set, treating fans to hits ranging from his Country Airplay No. 1 songs to ’90s covers.

Country-rock standout Braden, another of Rucker’s tourmates this fall, added to the festivities with Platinum-certified breakout “Devil You Know” and the introspective “Right on Track” before Luke Bryan took the stage for “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day,” “Play It Again” and “Country Song Came On.”

The final guest of the evening, Wallen, brought “20 Cigarettes” and “More Than My Hometown” to the crowd.

The night wrapped as per tradition with Rucker joined by the sold-out Ryman crowd plus Culpepper, Gardner and Williams for a “Wagon Wheel” singalong.

Luke Bryan. Photo: Catherine Powell

“Every time I visit St. Jude, I’m blown away. You walk in expecting it to feel heavy, but there’s so much joy, so much hope,” shared Rucker following the event. “The work they’re doing – the research, the breakthroughs – it’s incredible. But 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 these families, and I’m proud that me and my friends here tonight can be part of that.”

In addition to Monday evening’s concert, celebrity friends Drew Baldridge, Priscilla Block, 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 joined Rucker for the corresponding golf tournament June 3, with the total raised across both events adding to the more than $5 million raised to date.

Austin Williams. Photo: Catherine Powell

Kashus Culpepper. Photo: Catherine Powell

Morgan Wallen. Photo: Catherine Powell

Tyler Braden. Photo: Catherine Powell

Lauryn Sink
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