Darius Rucker continued his tradition of hosting his annual “Darius And Friends” benefit concert during CMA Fest week in Nashville this year, holding the 16th iteration on June 2. Taking place at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, the 2025 show featured performances by Rucker with friends Tyler Braden, Luke Bryan, Kashus Culpepper, Lanie Gardner, Morgan Wallen and Austin Williams.
The event is one close to Rucker’s heart and helps raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a cause Rucker began supporting after her first visited in 2008. On June 3, Rucker hosted his corresponding golf tournament, which also raised funds for St. Jude. Combined, this year’s two events raised a record-setting $815,000 for the institution.
As always, Rucker held down the fort during “Darius And Friends,” treating the crowd to a plethora of his hit songs like “Alright,” “Beers and Sunshine” and “For The First Time” plus the Hootie & the Blowfish classics “Hold My Hand” and “Only Wanna Be With You.”
He also shared a few countrified covers, performing his take on hits by Tim McGraw, TLC and Amy Winehouse.
Williams was Rucker’s first “friend” of the night, followed by Culpepper and later Braden, all of whom will hit the road with Rucker this fall. Gardner performed three songs, as did Bryan, who chose No. 1s “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day” and “Play It Again” plus “Country Song Came On.”
The night’s final guest was Wallen, who performed his hit “More Than My Hometown” and “20 Cigarettes,” a track from his recently-released album I’m The Problem. Rucker told the crowd that he met Wallen about five or six years ago and called him “a good friend of mine; he’s my brother.”
Rucker later closed out the show with a rendition of “Wagon Wheel” in which he was joined by Culpepper, Gardner and Williams.
Echoing the concert, the 2025 golf tournament was also full of stars, adding 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.
With this latest round of fundraising, Rucker has gifted an astonishing total of over $5.1 million to St. Jude, which ensures that families of children treated there never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food.
“When we visited St. Jude’s campus in 2008, I pledged to help and here we are,” Rucker shared in a statement. “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.”
The singer added that he’s “blown away” each time he visits St. Jude. “You walk in expecting it to feel heavy, but there’s so much joy, so much hope,” he said.
