• DARIUS RUCKER’S ‘FOR THE FIRST TIME’ IS NO. 1.

    Darius Rucker’s “For the First Time” climbs into the top spot on both the Country Aircheck Mediabase and Billboard country charts this week. He co-wrote the song with Derek George and Scooter Carusoe, and the tune made him think about some of the things he wanted to accomplish.

    “That song really made me sit down and write out a list of things I want to do that I’ve never done; not so much bucket list stuff, just stuff that ‘why have I never done that?’ And it was really cool, and now I’m trying to do all those things,” says Darius. “But for me, that’s why I wanted that song to be a single. I wanted people to sit back for a second and go, ‘When was the last time I did something?’”

    Darius was chosen to receive the Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award, which is presented to a country music artist, duo/group or industry professional who is devoted to improving lives through the power of music, has a generosity of spirit, and is committed to serving others. The award will be handed out during the ACM Honors August 22nd at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

    Darius will co-headline the Summer Plays On Tour with pals Lady Antebellum. The trek kicks off July 19th in Toronto, Ontario.

    Audio / Darius Rucker says the song, “For the First Time,” helped him realize there were things he wanted to accomplish.

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    Darius Rucker (For the First Time song) OC: …did something? :34
    “The opening line is so me. You know, that ‘you say you never danced to a dashboard singin’ REM’ – that was so who I am and me, and so I started laughing and then I started thinking about all of the stuff that I haven’t done that I wanted to do. That song really made me sit down and write out a list of things I want to do that I’ve never done; not so much bucket list stuff, just stuff that ‘why have I never done that?’ And it was really cool, and now I’m trying to do all those things. But for me, that’s why I wanted that song to be a single. I wanted people to sit back for a second and go, ‘When was the last time I did something?’”

  • DARIUS RUCKER ROCKS “WAGON WHEEL” ON “AMERICAN IDOL” SEASON FINALE WITH RUNNER-UP CALEB LEE HUTCHINSON; TEES UP MORE MEDIA THIS WEEK.

    Darius Rucker brought his widely popular hit “Wagon Wheel” to the “American Idol” stage on Monday night, as he partnered with eventual runner-up Caleb Lee Hutchinson on the show’s highly anticipated season finale.

    “It’s so inspiring to see how much talent, passion and ambition these contestants have,” said Rucker. “I loved being a part of Caleb’s experience on ‘American Idol.’ He’s got that old school voice.

    Rucker, whose current single “For The First Time” is currently in the Top 3 on the country charts, will return to national television on Thursday, May 24th at 11:35 p.m. EDT as the musical guest for a special Fleet Week episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC.

    The man Billboard calls “one of the torch-bearers for the format” will again bring a selection of his country music hits to fans nationwide as he graces the “TODAY” plaza stage for the Citi Summer Concert Series on Friday, May 25 starting at 7:00 a.m. EDT.

    Rucker will continue his summer of music with the ninth annual “Darius and Friends” show benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Monday, June 4th, as well as his co-headlining Summer Plays On Tour with Lady Antebellum, kicking off Thursday, July 19th in Toronto, Ontario.

    For more information about new music, appearances and tour dates, please visit www.dariusrucker.com or follow on social media @DariusRucker.

    About Darius Rucker 
    Rucker first attained multi-Platinum status in the music industry as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of GRAMMY award-winning Hootie & the Blowfish. Since releasing his first country album in 2008, he has celebrated four summits to the top of the Billboard Country albums chart and earned a whole new legion of fans. In 2014, Rucker won his third career GRAMMY award for Best Solo Country Performance for his 4x Platinum selling cover of Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel,” off his album, True Believers. Rucker’s first two country albums, Learn To Live and Charleston, SC 1966 produced five No. 1 singles including “Come Back Song,” “This,” “Alright,” “It Won’t Be Like This For Long,” and “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.” Southern Style, his fourth studio country album, features his seventh No. 1 single “Homegrown Honey,” co-written by Rucker, label mate Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, and Nathan Chapman. Rucker’s latest album on Capitol Records Nashville, When Was The Last Time, featured the lead single “If I Told You,” his eighth No. 1 on country radio. The album’s second single, “For The First Time,” is currently Top 3-and-climbing.

  • DARIUS RUCKER AND JIMMY FALLON SALUTE THE TROOPS.

    Darius Rucker joined Jimmy Fallon on Thursday night (May 24th) to salute the troops during Fleet Week. They re-wrote the lyrics to “Only Wanna Be With You,” the huge hit from Hootie and the Blowfish in 1995. The song became “Only Wanna Thank the Troops.”

    Darius is poised to enter the top of the country charts with “For the First Time.”

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  • NINTH ANNUAL “DARIUS RUCKER AND FRIENDS” BENEFIT CONCERT SET FOR NASHVILLE’S RYMAN AUDITORIUM MONDAY, JUNE 4th.

    With diverse guests – from Brooks & Dunn and KISS’ Tommy Thayer, to Jamey Johnson and Radney Foster – for nearly a decade, singer/songwriter and 3x GRAMMY winner Darius Rucker has spearheaded an event focused on amazing music, memorable collaborations and heartfelt stories resulting in over $1 million-and-counting raised for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Rucker continues that tradition this summer with his 9th Annual “Darius and Friends” benefit concert. The event, which unofficially kicks-off CMA Music Fest week, is set for Monday, June 4 returning to Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium for a second year. Pre-sale tickets will be available Tuesday, April 17 at 10 a.m. CT and tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 20 at 10 a.m. CT at www.ticketmaster.com.

    “When you see first-hand what this organization can do for families, it’s remarkable,” Rucker reflects. “Over the years we’ve met so many survivors, families of patients and volunteers whose lives have been changed by St. Jude. It’s one of my favorite shows of the year.”

    The New Yorker calls Rucker’s voice “extraordinary: rich, round, and full of nuance,” and perhaps the same can be said for his heart. Rucker made a commitment to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital after touring the facility known around the globe for treating childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases in 2008.

    Friends performing with Rucker in past years have included Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Randy Houser, Charles Kelley (Lady Antebellum) and Kenny Rogers, among others. The lineup for this year’s event will be announced in the coming weeks.

    Tickets to the 9th Annual Darius & Friends start at $50 for General Admission and go up to $150 for VIP options. Tickets will be available through the Ryman box office and www.DariusRucker.com.

    For more information on “Darius and Friends,” please visit www.DariusRucker.com.

    About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
    Since opening more than 50 years ago, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has changed the way the world treats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. No family ever pays St. Jude for the care their child receives and, for every child treated here, thousands more have been saved worldwide through St. Jude discoveries. The hospital has played a pivotal role in pushing U.S. pediatric cancer survival rates from 20 to 80 percent overall, and is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted to children. It is also a leader in the research and treatment of blood disorders and infectious diseases in children. St. Jude was founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, who believed that no child should die in the dawn of life. Join that mission by visiting stjude.org or following us on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.

  • AMERICAN IDOL WILL CROWN THE WINNER AND FEATURE ALL-STAR PERFORMANCES DURING ITS TWO-NIGHT FINALE NEXT WEEK.

    Luke Bryan is set to perform during the season finale of ABC’s American Idol. He’s not the only one. The other two judges – Lionel Richie and Katy Perry – will perform, as well during the two-night finale beginning Sunday (May 20th).

    Darius Rucker, as well as Nick Jonas and Mustard, Patti LaBelle, Yolanda Adams, Bebe Rexha, Gary Clark Jr. and Kermit the Front will also appear.

     

     

    All three judges will return to the show next season.

  • DARIUS RUCKER ANNOUNCES A TOUR OF THE UK THIS FALL.

    A trip oversees is overdue for Darius Rucker who has announced a UK tour this fall.

    Rucker is no stranger to the devoted country faithful in London, Germany and Amsterdam. Since signing with Capitol Records Nashville and releasing his first country album Learn to Live in 2008, the three-time GRAMMY winner has made multiple trips overseas including Country to County (C2C) festival at the O2 in London in 2013 where he declared he “couldn’t wait to get back” before making good on that promise and returning again in 2017 to rave reviews.

    One publication wrote, “…will go down in history as one of the Festival’s greatest performances” and another opined Rucker “was the highlight…and no one could top his performance.”

    The Platinum artist who is a member of the esteemed Grand Ole Opry has invested in touring overseas. In 2017, Rucker returned to the C2C stage and performed shows in countries such as in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

    Rucker has fearlessly followed his own musical muse while cultivating a huge following of people drawn to his uniquely seductive delivery. He makes it seem effortless, until you step back and take in the magnitude of the music and the far reaching, lasting impact of songs that have become part of popular culture from his days fronting Hootie & the Blowfish to a country solo career that has netted him eight No. 1 records.

    His latest studio release on Capitol Records Nashville, When Was The Last Time, was launched with two sold-out shows that speak to the heart of who he is as an artist – making history at the famed Apollo Theater and a stadium-sized hometown, throw down in Charleston, S.C. at Volvo Stadium.

    Darius Rucker UK Tour
    Sunday, October 21    Birmingham, Symphony Hall
    Monday, October 22   Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall
    Tuesday, October 23   Gateshead, The Sage
    Thursday, October 25  Bristol, O2 Academy
    Friday, October 26      Manchester, Albert Hall
    Sunday, October 28    London, Royal Albert Hall

    Rucker won’t be representing Music City alone on his journey through the United Kingdom. It turns out the NFL’s Tennessee Titans will be in London at the same time to play the Los Angeles Chargers.

    For more information about new music, appearances, and tour dates, please visitwww.dariusrucker.com.   

  • VALENTINE’S DAY 2018 AUDIO

    Wednesday is Valentine’s Day (February 14th), and we’ve got some thoughts and feelings more about love, romance and marriage from several of your favorite country artists. Some are new and some have become our favorites over the years. Which country stars are romantic? Which ones aren’t? Which ones have a good reason to celebrate the holiday that’s all about love?

    Audio / Alan Jackson talks about his love for wife, Denise, over the years.

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    AJ (Valentine’s Day) OC: …continue to. :24

    “We got a lot of history together now, and we’re happier than we’ve ever been. So, she’s still beautiful, and she’s always inspired songs. I mean, one of my early hits was a song called ‘I’d Love You All Over Again,’ I wrote for her for our 10th anniversary. I mean, there’s been a zillion songs that have pieces of our good days and bad days inspired, and they continue to.”

    Audio / Billy Currington recalls his first real Valentine’s Day.

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    Billy Currington (Valentine’s Day memory) OC: …took off running. :21
    “Yeah, I remember my first girlfriend. I was in first or second grade, but anyway, I remember it was Valentine’s Day and your mom going, ‘You’ve got to give your girlfriend something, and you’ve got to go give it to her.’ I’ll never forget — we got her a box of chocolates or whatever it was. I remember going down to her classroom and knocking on the door, getting her to come to the door. I remember handing it to her, and then I took off running.”

    Audio / Darius Rucker knew he would marry his wife, Beth, on their first date.

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    Darius Rucker (wife) OC: …her and country music saved my life. :43

    “I don’t know what it was about her. I mean, it was EVERYTHING about her. I knew, I told her I was going to marry her on our first date, [laughs] yeah. Beth’s a strong woman. It takes a strong woman to be married to a musician, especially a musician who was drinking and partying as hard as I was, and I think life for us is where we are now. It took a long time for us to get to where we are now, and we say to each other all the time, ‘I love us. I love our family. I love us.’ And I thank her every day for staying with me and being the strong woman she is, because with Hootie & the Blowfish, I could be gone for three months and then I’d come home for two days and then I’d be gone again for a month, and she put up with all that crap. You know, her and country music saved my life.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley gives guys tips for a first date.

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    Dierks Bentley (first date tips for guys) OC: …first date. :19
    “You know, just opening the door, it’s such a big deal. It’s just a nice thing to do. It’s a car door, unlocking the door for somebody to get in the car first and hold the door to get in, and I just think that’s just, if you’re doing that, then you’re obviously thinking about ways to be respectful, be considerate, be kind and be thoughtful and make for a good first date.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley says the most interesting gift he and his wife Cassidy have given each other were mixtapes of songs.

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    Dierks Bentley (Valentine’s Day-most interesting gift he’s given his wife) OC: …formulate yourself. 1:19
    “When ‘What Was I Thinkin’’ was released in 2003, I didn’t know what my life would look like, and all of a sudden, I found myself out on the road full-time, just gone. So, the place where I was staying, I had some friends pack it up and move it into a storage facility. This year, I got that whole thing dumped back out into my house. I’m going through just years of old stuff, and in there I found some letters that she and I had written back and forth when we were dating. I was working at The Nashville Network and she was working out in San Francisco and found some letters I had written her and I’d gotten back and some stuff she’d sent me, including a CD of songs she’d been listening to, back when you made CD mixes and there’s like these three hearts on that CD. I just found that it was so meaningful for me those gifts you give each other before any money, before anything else was going on, just music, giving of mixtapes was so cool. She reminded me of a mixtape I sent her. I’d sent it to her via FedEx, because it was so important she get this as quickly as possible. This was sadly before, I guess we had internet back then, but you really couldn’t send songs over the internet. I think the most interesting thing I’ve given her and she’s given me was just mixtapes, because there’s nothing like music to put into words and the thoughts you have in your head that you can’t formulate yourself.”

    Audio / Eric Church says his wife, Katherine, loves him in spite of everything.

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    Eric Church (Valentine’s) OC: …love song is. :18

    “True love to me is when you love a person in spite of all their fallibilities, and for me, I have a lot of ‘em. I’m definitely at times hard to love, and that’s what’s great about Katherine and the way she loves me. She loves me in spite of those things and really for those things.”

    Audio / Josh Turner says his wife would call him a romantic, but now that they have four children, it takes a bit of work to make time for each other.

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    Josh Turner (Romantic) OC: …long time to come. :26
    “If you ask my wife Jennifer if I was a romantic, she would definitely say, ‘Yes,’ but she knows that sometimes my hectic schedule and our busy lifestyles can kind of interfere with the romantic side of things. But we do try to make efforts towards being together and having adult conversations and taking time away from the children and doing things that husbands and wives do, so we’ll definitely try to continue that for a long time to come.”

    Audio / Lauren Alaina recalls her first, and potentially disastrous, Valentine’s Day with her longtime boyfriend, Alex.

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    Lauren Alaina (Valentine’s Day) OC: …pretty embarrassing. 1:37
    “I think my first Valentine’s Day with Alex, I was trying to be super cute and cook him a Valentine’s Day dinner. I was 18 at the time, and I’d just moved into this brand new apartment in Chattanooga. I was trying to get used to not living with my parents before I moved to Nashville, so I did like six months in Chattanooga in an apartment. And [giggles] my mom makes these really great mashed potatoes, which I’ve modified the recipe, but they’re delicious and I wanted to make him these potatoes, because I knew I could make these potatoes. Well, I did not grow up with a very updated kitchen, so I didn’t have a [garbage] disposal, it was very new to me. So, I peeled the bag of potatoes and put the potato peels in to the sink and tried to use the disposal and it broke it before he got there. Annnd, I turned the water on, and I was baking chicken and I was cooking broccoli and mashed potatoes, and just turned the water on and then I forgot I had the water on, so I overflowed the kitchen sink with the potato peels, and it looked like something died in my sink and my sink was like spitting it up. It was horrible. I was panicking and trying to get it all cleaned up before he got there, and he knocked in the middle of it, like knocked on the door. He was early, of course. He’s always early, and he freaking knocked. I had like potato peels flying through the air, my potatoes were boiling over. I was still boiling the potatoes. I was running behind and he was running early, so it was just crazy. But, we’ve had some great Valentine’s.”

    Audio / Little Big Town’s Phillip Sweet was ready for love when he met Rebecca, his wife since 2007.

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    Little Big Town (Phillip – reasons fell in love) OC: …real love. :17

    “I think everything that I had gone through before had prepared me to be ready to see that there was genuine love there for me, and my Rebecca.  So, it was just a great time, I wouldn’t have been ready before I met her…Now it’s just been a really great journey to heal through the past and to know real love.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan says Valentine’s Day is for him and his wife, Caroline.

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    Luke Bryan (Valentine’s Day) OC: …full day. :11
    “Well, I mean Valentine’s Day is, it’s kinda me and Caroline’s day just to go and just being with one another for a full day.”

     

  • DARIUS RUCKER WILL GET FANS WARMED UP DURING A SUPER BOWL PREGAME PERFORMANCE.

    Darius Rucker has been announced as one of the featured performers during this year’s Super Bowl pregame festivities on Sunday (February 4th). Darius, along with Sting, will perform at the NFL Tailgate Party and portions of those performances will be televised on the NBC Super Bowl LII Pregame Show.

    Darius is a huge fan of NFL football (especially the Miami Dolphins) and is usually the Commissioner for at least five or six fantasy football leagues and has a “man cave” at home where he watches several games at once. He has always said there are only two times of the year for him – see if you can guess the seasons.

    “Ever since I was five years old, I’ve loved football, and I love how physical it is. I love the chess match of the game. I love the speed of the game. I love college football, but for me watching pro football is better because the speed is so much more,” says Darius. “For me, there’s two times a year, man — football season and waiting for football season.”

    The North Carolina native, who will hit the road with Lady Antebellum later this year, is moving up the country charts with his latest song, “For the First Time.”

    Audio / Darius Rucker talks about his love of football.

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    Darius Rucker (football) OC: …football season. :20
    “Ever since I was five years old, I’ve loved football, and I love how physical it is. I love the chess match of the game. I love the speed of the game. I love college football, but for me watching pro football is better because the speed is so much more. For me, there’s two times a year, man — football season and waiting for football season.”

  • VALENTINE’S DAY LINERS 2018

    Audio / LINER Billy Currington (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Billy Currington. Hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Brothers Osborne (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, this is T.J., and I’m John, and we’re Brothers Osborne. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Canaan Smith (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, what’s up guys? I’m Canaan Smith, wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Carrie Underwood (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! I’m Carrie Underwood, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day. Send me some chocolate.”

    Audio / LINER Clare Dunn (Valentines Day)

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    “Hey! This is Clare Dunn, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Darius Rucker (Valentine’s Day)

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    “What’s up y’all? This is Darius Rucker, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Dierks Bentley (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, it’s Dierks Bentley, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Eric Church (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Eric Church, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Eric Paslay (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is Eric Paslay, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Gary Allan (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, this is Gary Allan, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER George Strait (Valentine’s Day)

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    “This is George Strait, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Jon Pardi (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! It’s Jon Pardi, and I hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Josh Turner (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Josh Turner, and I want to wish you and your sweetheart a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Kacey Musgraves (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi, this is Kacey Musgraves, and I hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. This is Keith Urban. Make the day special for your ‘Once in a Lifetime’ love.”

    Audio / LINER Kip Moore (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! What’s happening, everybody? This is Kip Moore. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Lady A (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey everybody! We are Lady Antebellum, wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day, you love birds.”

    Audio / LINER LBT (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! We’re Little Big Town. Happy Valentine’s Day!”

    Audio / LINER Luke Bryan (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey y’all, it’s Luke Bryan. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Sam Hunt (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is Sam Hunt, wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Shania Twain (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi, this is Shania Twain. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

  • CHARLES KELLEY OF LADY ANTEBELLUM AND DARIUS RUCKER WILL HOST THE FIRST-EVER ACM TOPGOLF TEE-OFF IN LAS VEGAS IN APRIL.

    Charles Kelley of multi-platinum trio Lady Antebellum, and multi-platinum country music star Darius Rucker will host the first-ever ACM Lifting Lives® Topgolf Tee-Off on Saturday, April 14th at Topgolf Las Vegas at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino during the highly-anticipated 6th Annual ACM Party for a Cause®.

    An update to the ACM Lifting Lives Golf Classic, the inaugural event will provide fans a unique opportunity to take in LIVE performances from the hottest new talent in country music, all while artists compete in a tournament of golf skills. Fans can reserve premium Topgolf bays with stage views, food and beverage, and compete in their own competition to win various prizes, including an artist meet & greet. For non-golfers, general admission tickets are available for fans to hangout and enjoy the show. Performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

    Following in the legacy of the ACM Lifting Lives Golf Classic, the ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-Off will raise funds and awareness for the ACM Lifting Lives Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief FundEstablished in 2007 by former Academy of Country Music and ACM Lifting Lives Board Chair Gayle Holcomb, in honor of her mother, the Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund responds quickly to unforeseen, immediate financial needs of music related organizations and individuals.

    The ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-Off is part of the 6th Annual ACM Party for a Cause® festivities set to take over the Las Vegas Strip April 12-15, 2018 leading up to and immediately following the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards™, Country Music’s Party of the Year®, which will broadcast LIVE from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 8:00 PM ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

    TICKET INFORMATION:
    ACM PROFESSIONAL MEMBER AND ACM A-LIST MEMBER TICKET ON-SALE: Both can purchase tickets beginning at 10:00 AM (PT) today, Thursday, January 25, 2018 by visiting www.PartyForaCause.com. The pre-sale code will be emailed prior to the on-sale.  GENERAL PUBLIC TICKET ON-SALE: Tickets will go on-sale to the general public at 10:00 AM (PT) tomorrow, Friday, January 26, 2018 at www.PartyForaCause.com.