NASHVILLE, TN (CelebrityAccess) — Grammy Award-winning recording artist Darius Rucker has been named as the recipient of the 2023 CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award.
Rucker was surprised with the honor during his appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” on October 23rd, where he was talking about his latest album, Carolyn’s Boy, which was inspired by his late mother, Carolyn Rucker/
The CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award is intended to honor an individual who has demonstrated commitment to humanitarian causes through community leadership, financial support, personal volunteerism and advocacy.
Rucker certainly appears to fit the bill through his ongoing support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. After he was inspired by visiting the hospital 15 years ago, he launched the “Darius and Friends” charity auction, golf tournament and concert in 2010, which takes place in the leadup to the CMA Fest.
Participating artists in recent years have included Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Ashley McBryde, A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys, Brad Paisley and Kenny Rogers among others, and the event has helped to raise more than $3.6 million to support the hospital’s mission of treating and defeating childhood cancer and other illnesses.
Rucker also co-chaired a capital campaign that raised more than $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. He also supports public education and youth sports 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.
