Darius Rucker went to the top of the Capitol Records Tower to perform his latest single, “If I Told You.”

This Sunday (February 5th), millions of people around the world will be tuning in to Super Bowl 51 (the Big Game), including some of your favorite country artists. Some will be rooting for the Atlanta Falcons, while others will be pulling for the New England Patriots to win the Big Game. Billy Currington, Canaan Smith, Darius Rucker, Lady Antebellum, Easton Corbin, Keith Urban, Lauren Alaina and Little Big Town are definitely fans of football…as is Luke Bryan, who is set to perform the National Anthem at the Big Game at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Sunday (February 5th) at 6:30pm ET on FOX.

Just before the game, Lady A will take part in the official pre-game party at the NRG Center, while Sam Hunt, a former University of Alabama Birmingham quarterback, headlines a rather cool venue – Club Nomadic, a collapsible traveling nightclub – on Thursday (Feb. 2nd).

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital honored GRAMMY Award-winning country music artist Darius Rucker at the 28^th annual Country Cares for St. Jude Kids^® Seminar on Saturday, Jan. 14 at The Peabody Memphis.

L to R: GRAMMY Award-winning country music artist Randy Owen, President and CEO of ALSAC, Richard Shadyac Jr. and Darius Rucker
Credit: Seth Dixon

Rucker received the prestigious Randy Owen Angels Among Us Award, which recognizes individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through their unique commitment and humanitarian spirit. Rucker is a staunch supporter who has championed the lifesaving mission of St. Jude for several years – lending his talented voice and passionate heart to raise funds and awareness for the hospital. 

In 2016, Rucker hosted the seventh consecutive, star-studded Darius Rucker and Friends benefit, a sold-out concert that featured performances by Charley Pride, Hunter Hayes, Drake White, Terri Clark, LOCASH and Scotty McCreery. The annual event has raised more than $800,000 for St. Jude, helping to ensure families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. 

In 2015, Rucker recorded “Possibilities,” a song inspired by courageous St. Jude patient Brennan. Rucker heard the tune when Brennan presented it to him, and he later recorded it at a session in Memphis with the help of patients at the hospital.  

Rucker was surprised during the event with a $50,000 donation to St. Jude, given in his honor from ACM Lifting Lives, in recognition of Rucker’s charitable spirit and work with both St. Jude and the Academy of Country Music’s charitable arm. ACM Lifting Lives works to improve lives through the power of music.

“Darius Rucker’s generosity, passion and humanitarian spirit inspire us all, and we are honored to recognize him with this well-deserved award,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “His numerous contributions and generous donations are a testament to his continued commitment to helping St. Jude save the lives of children suffering from cancer and other life-threatening diseases around the world. We are extremely grateful for the support of Darius and countless other country music artists who lend their hearts, time and talent to help further our mission.”

This award places Rucker among the ranks of only four past recipients, including ALABAMA front man and co-founder of Country Cares for St. Jude Kids, Randy Owen for whom the award is named, country artist John Rich, former ALSAC Chief Operating Officer David McKee (posthumously) and St. Jude Country Cares Advisory Council member, Sharon Eaves (posthumously).

Rucker first gained fame as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the GRAMMY Award-winning American rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. Since then, he has dominated country music charts as a solo artist. Rucker recently signed on as host for the second season of “Reel South,” an anthology series highlighting 12 non-fiction stories from across the country, celebrating America’s rich tradition of southern comfort.

Country Cares for St. Jude Kids is recognized as one of the largest country music industry gatherings in the nation and brings thousands of country music industry leaders together to support the lifesaving work of St. Jude. Since 1989, the program has raised more than $650 million for the kids of St. Jude. Participants in the weekend event include country music artists, record label management, radio station general managers, promotions staff, national sales managers, program directors, and on-air staff who seek inspiration and to gain personal experiences that will help them promote and encourage support for St. Jude. 

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^®
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook (facebook.com/stjude) and following us on Twitter (@stjude).

About Darius Rucker
Rucker first attained multi-platinum status in the music industry as former lead singer and rhythm guitarist of GRAMMY award-winning Hootie & the Blowfish. Since re-introducing himself to the world as a country artist, he has released four consecutive albums to top 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 triple 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 latest No. 1 single “Homegrown Honey,” co-written by Rucker, label mate Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum and Nathan Chapman. Rucker’s heartfelt new single, “If I Told You” is currently climbing the country charts. For more information and tour dates visit www.dariusrucker.com. 

Darius Rucker helped pay tribute to James Taylor at this week’s Kennedy Center Honors by performing a medley of some of the iconic singer-songwriter’s biggest hits, including “Sweet Baby James” and “Carolina in My Mind.” Rounding out the tribute, Darius, along with Garth Brooks and Sheryl Crow, performed ‘How Sweet It Is’ together. See videos of their performances below.

David Nail’s “Good at Tonight” will play throughout the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Check it out, as well as the matchup between Alabama and Washington at 2p ET on ESPN.

Easton Corbin performed the National Anthem at his alma mater, The University of Florida, before their first basketball game in their brand new arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Check it out in a post by Rare Country here.

Chris Stapleton will be the special guest with Tom Petty at Wrigley Field on June 29th, as well as July 5th and 6th at the 50th Anniversary of Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Luke Bryan took his boys to the WWE Live Holiday Tour when it made its stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena this week. He went backstage to meet the legendary wrestler, Jon Cena.

Good dude here. Thanks @JohnCena for being awesome to my boys. pic.twitter.com/lOWxwO2BLL

— Luke Bryan (@lukebryan) December 29, 2016

Darius Rucker released Home for the Holidays, his first Christmas album, in 2014, and it included several classic songs and even a couple of originals. One of them he recorded “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” was the first song he just knew he was going to put on the album.

“It was because I love it. For me, the Grinch cartoon, and even the movie now, but the Grinch cartoon growing up, before we had 152,000 channels, we had three channels and they showed all these cartoons once a year and the Grinch was one of those things,” says Darius. “I think we only bought the TV Guide in December, so we can know when the Grinch was coming on. It was in prime time and the whole family was sitting there watching it, and that song was always so cool.”

Darius also wanted to record, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” with Sheryl Crow, but it was because of the movie Elf. “I decided to do that for one reason, for Elf, for that movie and how great they did it when she’s taking a shower in the bathroom, and he comes and sits on the counter and he’s singing along with her. I thought it was just a great song,” he says.

Darius Rucker always looks forward to Christmas, not just because he gets a little downtime with his family after being on the road so much, but because he truly enjoys the holiday and all the magic that goes along with it.

He and his family – includes his wife and three children have a routine they pretty much stick to on the big day. “Christmas at the Rucker house is pretty laid-back,” says Darius. “Our kids wake up early – real early – and open their gifts and we hang out, have breakfast, go to church, come home and PLAY, play with toys and hang out and see family who comes by, and we go to see family. It’s just a pretty normal, fun Christmas Day.” Sounds like a great time! But if you happen to receive a gift from Darius, just know he wasn’t the one doing the wrapping! “I buy it and go, ‘Honey, wrap this!’ I don’t wrap, and it definitely doesn’t look like Dillards’ [wrapping],” he admits. “It would be frumpy is what it would be. [laughs]”

Darius loves to take it easy during the holidays after being on the road all year long. One way he winds down with his family is to watch Christmas movies…however, he can’t pick just one favorite.

“That’s such a hard question, favorite Christmas movie, because there are so many great movies that I can think of just off the top of my head that are great Christmas movies,” says Darius. “But it would be a tie between Miracle on 34th Street, which is still just great acting, great movie. I just love it. I love watching it. I watch it probably four times every Christmas and cry at the end every time. And I love Elf. I just think Elf is one of the absolute great stories and just funniest movies I’ve ever seen, and it just happens to be a Christmas movie. It’s one of my favorite movies.”

Holiday liners from UMG Nashville artists, including Alan Jackson, Billy Currington, Brothers Osborne, Canaan Smith, Clare Dunn, Darius Rucker, David Nail, Dierks Bentley, Easton Corbin, Eric Church, Eric Paslay, Gary Allan, George Strait, Jon Pardi, Josh Turner, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Kip Moore, Lady Antebellum, Lauren Alaina, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Shania Twain, The Band Perry, Toby Keith and many more!

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Three-time GRAMMY Award winner Darius Rucker is partnering with Ply Gem® (NYSE: PGEM), a North American manufacturer of building products, as the 2017 ambassador for its Home for Good project to help hundreds of families build homes across the United States with Habitat for Humanity. Ply Gem’s commitment to the belief that everyone deserves a place to call home aligns with Darius’ core values as well as themes across his music.

The Ply Gem Home for Good project is a multi-year initiative that includes a donation of over $1 million of exterior building products and funds for Habitat for Humanity to help families build strength and stability through housing. The company will support the project with advertising and social media initiatives to encourage its associates, the building industry—including distributors, builders and remodelers—as well as consumers to support its effort to bring awareness of the need for affordable housing in communities across the country. Last year, Ply Gem featured country music icon Alan Jackson as the ambassador for the project.

“From an early age, my mother always encouraged us to give back,” shares Rucker. “Whether it was mowing a neighbor’s yard or supporting a friend, I think it’s important to give back any time and chance you can. For me, the opportunity to partner with Ply Gem and its Home for Good Project to help so many people at a national level–is incredible. I am really looking forward to what we can do together.”

“We are proud to have Darius Rucker join us as the 2017 Ply Gem Home for Good project ambassador. He shares our passion for giving back to the community and conviction that every American deserves a safe and decent place they can be proud to call home,” said Gary E. Robinette, chairman and CEO, Ply Gem. “We are committed to the Home for Good project and look forward to partnering with Darius, Habitat for Humanity and families across the US in 2017.”

Through its first year of the Home for Good project, Ply Gem has already donated enough building materials –including windows and siding – to help 300 Habitat homeowner families build their homes.

As a way to kick off the Home for Good project, the Ply Gem Deck the Halls with Darius Rucker Sweepstakes opens today. Contestants can learn more about how to enter by visiting www.dariusrucker.com/plygem . There will be five lucky winners – one each week – who will win a $250 Visa gift card. More information and rules can be found online.

About Ply Gem Industries:
Ply Gem (NYSE: PGEM), headquartered in Cary, N.C., is a leading manufacturer of exterior building products in North America. Ply Gem produces a comprehensive product line of windows and patio doors, vinyl and aluminum siding and accessories, designer accents, cellular PVC trim and mouldings, vinyl fencing and railing, stone veneer and gutterware, used in both new construction and home repair and remodeling in the United States and Canada. Visit www.plygem.com for more information.

About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in nearly 1,400 communities throughout the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.

About Darius Rucker:
Rucker first attained multi-platinum status in the music industry as former lead singer and rhythm guitarist of GRAMMY award-winning Hootie & the Blowfish. Since re-introducing himself to the world as a country artist, he has released four consecutive albums to top 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 triple 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 latest No. 1 single “Homegrown Honey,” co-written by Rucker, label mate Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum and Nathan Chapman. After wrapping his 2016 Good for a Good Time Tour, Rucker recently released his heartfelt new single, “If I Told You” to country radio. For more information and tour dates visit www.dariusrucker.com.