Darius Rucker returns to the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on June 1 for the 17th annual “Darius and Friends” benefit concert in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The show unofficially opens CMA Fest week and continues one of country music’s most meaningful annual traditions, an event that has raised more than $5.1 million for St. Jude to date.
Rucker’s commitment to St. Jude goes back nearly two decades, sparked by a hospital tour in 2008 that gave him a firsthand look at how the institution leads the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. What started as a personal mission became an annual event that now draws some of Nashville’s biggest names. Past performers have included Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll, Sheryl Crow, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, and many more.
This year’s lineup hasn’t been announced yet, but the show’s track record speaks for itself. The Tennessean called last year’s edition “a night of old favorites and new music delivered by both seasoned and fresh faces from the music industry.” Seventeen years in, “Darius and Friends” has become as much a part of CMA Fest week as the festival itself.
Tickets start at $69 with VIP packages up to $249. Presale begins April 29 at 10 AM CT, with public on-sale May 1 at 10 AM CT. The event is supported by sponsors AMD and The Law Office of Jennifer McCoy.