• NEWS AND NOTES: Brothers Osborne, Reba McEntire, Keith Urban

    Brothers Osborne have been announced as celebrity judges for the new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. John and TJ aren’t the only celebrity guest judges. Actors Connie Britton, Keke Palmer and Colton Haynes will also be star judges on the show. Season 9 of the show premieres May 17th on Paramount+.

    Reba McEntire will be on the Jennifer Hudson Show on Thursday (May 2nd).

    Keith Urban just announced on socials that he’ll play a pop-up club show at Dada in Dallas, Texas Friday night (May 3rd). He writes, “@laineywilson’s killing it over in Europe right now but I wanted to celebrate the release of GO HOME W U in a setting that is perfect for the song and feels very familiar to HOW I GOT HERE ! Playing in clubs and dive bars. tickets on sale at 9am CT – it’s gonna be a blast!” Go to https://keithurban.com/pages/tour to get your tickets. On Saturday (May 4th), he’ll be in Austin to perform at the iHeart Country Music Festival.

     

     

     

     

  • JORDAN DAVIS CRUSHES THE COMPETITION ON THE ROAD.

    Jordan Davis keeps in shape on the road by playing basketball, pickleball and golfing, but don’t think he’s a pushover and will let you win at any sport he is playing. He’s a pretty competitive fella.

    “When it comes to – don’t get it twisted – we are playing pickleball half for exercise, because nobody wants to go do cardio, so you might as well play something while you’re getting cardio in,” says Jordan. “The other half is I am trying to absolutely crush every other person on the other side of that net. I, I am. I am competitive. I like to win. I don’t like to lose, and it boils over sometimes. We have to have some sitdowns in the greenroom and be like, ‘Hey-I didn’t really mean that.’ It boils over on the golf course. If I’m gonna do something, I want to win at it. It’s pretty competitive out there (laughs), so yes (I’m competitive).”

    The Louisiana native is closing in at the top of the country charts with his latest hit, “Tucson Too Late,” and he takes his Damn Good Time World Tour to Charlotte and Wilmington, North Carolina, as well as Jacksonville, Florida this weekend.

     

    Audio / Jordan Davis says he gets pretty competitive when he's playing sports -- like pickleball and golf -- when he's out on the road.

    Download

    Jordan Davis (competitive on the road sports) OC: …so yes (I’m competitive). :37
    “When it comes to – don’t get it twisted – we are playing pickleball half for exercise, because nobody wants to go do cardio, so you might as well play something while you’re getting cardio in. The other half is I am trying to absolutely crush every other person on the other side of that net. I, I am. I am competitive. I like to win. I don’t like to lose, and it boils over sometimes. We have to have some sitdowns in the greenroom and be like, ‘Hey-I didn’t really mean that.’ It boils over on the golf course. If I’m gonna do something, I want to win at it. It’s pretty competitive out there (laughs), so yes (I’m competitive).”

  • PARKER McCOLLUM RELEASES MUSIC VIDEO IN TRIBUTE TO HIS MOTHER.

    Parker McCollum has released a performance music video for the song “Things I Never Told You,” from his sold-out headlining show at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. In the clip, photos of his mother are interspersed between live shots from the arena.

     

    He chose “Things I Never Told You” to put on his Never Enough album because it completely reminded him of his mother.

    “My buddy Taylor Phillips sent this song to me one day. He wrote it with Lynn Hutton and Monty Criswell and just one time through…I didn’t even listen to the whole song, but halfway through after the first chorus, I said, ‘I’m in. I’m singing that song,” recalls Parker. “It reminded me so much of my mom and I knew she would love to hear it. I didn’t tell her anything about it. I had her come to one of tour rehearsals this year and played it for her there, full band with the whole production and everything and the empty amphitheater. It was kind of cool. But I cut that just for her and thought it was such an amazing song. There’s a line in it that said, ‘I kept a well-hidden can of Skoal in the console of my Chevy.’ I actually really did in high school. I had a secret compartment in the center console of my Chevy truck that I kept a can of dip in. So just it kind of hit home and it’s just a great song.”

    The Texas native will take his Burn It Down Tour to Salina, Kansas on Thursday (May 2nd), Rogers, Arkansas on Friday (May 3rd) and Columbia, Missouri on Saturday (May 4th).

     

    Audio / Parker McCollum talks about the song, “Things I Never Told You.”

    Download

    Parker McCollum (Things I Never Told You) OC: …a great song. :59
    “This song, it’s the only song on the record I didn’t write. I wanted to cut one outside song for this record. People send me songs all the time and very, very, very rarely does one ever really catch my attention and stand out, and my buddy Taylor Phillips sent this song to me one day. He wrote it with Lynn Hutton and Monty Criswell and just one time through…I didn’t even listen to the whole song, but halfway through after the first chorus, I said, ‘I’m in. I’m singing that song.’ It reminded me so much of my mom and I knew she would love to hear it. I didn’t tell her anything about it. I had her come to one of tour rehearsals this year and played it for her there, full band with the whole production and everything and the empty amphitheater. It was kind of cool. But I cut that just for her and thought it was such an amazing song. There’s a line in it that said, ‘I kept a well-hidden can of Skoal in the console of my Chevy.’ I actually really did in high school. I had a secret compartment in the center console of my Chevy truck that I kept a can of dip in. So just it kind of hit home and it’s just a great song.”

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Darius Rucker, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire

    Darius Rucker is mixing sightseeing with work while he’s on his headlining European tour. He stopped by Stonehenge and posted some photos on his socials of him standing in front of the prehistoric stone monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England.

     

    Vince Gill has announced a new four-night Ryman Auditorium residency. “An Evening With Vince Gill” takes place August 1st – 4th with tickets going on sale Friday (May 3rd) at 10am CT at ryman.com. Presale begins Wednesday (May 1st) at 10am CT.

     

    Kelly Clarkson covered Reba McEntire‘s 1994 hit “Till You Love Me” during her Kellyoke segment of her daytime TV talk show.

    https://twitter.com/KellyClarksonTV/status/1785776211332939796

     

     

     

     

  • ANNE WILSON’S REBEL SOARS ON BILLBOARD CHRISTIAN AND COUNTRY CHARTS

    Anne Wilson, the PLATINUM-certified, GRAMMY-nominated artist and songwriter, has shattered records once again with her 16-track, genre-blending album REBEL. Released on April 19th, the “trailblazing album” (People.com) secured No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 spots on Christian, Country and all-genre charts respectively – an achievement that places her in the company of superstars Carrie Underwood, Chris Tomlin and Hillary Scott who have previously held Top 10 positions on both Billboard Christian and Country charts – further proving Wilson’s star power. REBEL also notched more than 10.3M total global streams in its first week, nearly doubling her GRAMMY-nominated album My Jesus’ first week numbers of 5.6M.

    REBEL on the charts:

    No. 1 Billboard Top Christian Album

    No. 1 Top Albums – Capitol Music Group

    No. 2 Current Country Albums

    No. 3 Current Digital Albums

    No. 3 Digital Albums

    No. 6 Internet Albums

    No. 8 Current Album Sales

    No. 8 Record Label UNI Albums

    No. 10 Billboard Top Country Album

    No. 10 Top Albums w/ TEA

    No. 10 Billboard Top Album Sales

    No. 59 Billboard 200

    (source of data: Luminate)

     

    Critical acclaim for REBEL:

    “one of contemporary music’s freshest new voices, regardless of genre.”

    People.com

    “Anne Wilson is a genre-blender in the truest, most artistically satisfying meaning of the word.”

    Holler

    “The 16-song project hits the bullseye between contemporary Christian and Country twang”

    Grammy.com

    “sonically and thematically, the album stitches together the threads tying Country and Christian music”

    Billboard

    “set to become a cherished addition to the libraries of fans of both genres”

    MusicRow

    “A fresh-faced, 22-year-old country music ingenue sings about Jesus Christ with folk-aimed soul and countrified pop passion akin to the shouting required to knock down the Walls of Jericho in the Old Testament’s Book of Joshua.”

    The Tennessean

    REBEL is a tribute, not only to her ability to write songs, but tackle a variety of topics and different styles of music.”

    Forbes

     

    Last Friday, tickets for Wilson’s 28-stop headlining The REBEL Tour went on sale and are going fast, already selling over 50% of tickets four months before it kicks off on Sept. 12, 2024. The coast-to-coast tour will stop in major markets across the country with special guest Jordan Rowe, including Wilson headlining Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium for the very first time on Sept. 25, 2024. Tickets are available now at www.annewilsonofficial.com.

     

    Wilson recently notched the No.1 spot at Christian radio during REBEL’s street week with her empowering anthem “Strong,” marking Wilson’s third career No.1. The single, co-written by Wilson, Jeff Pardo and Matthew West, has already garnered over 35M global streams to date. She also recently became the only female artist to have three No. 1 singles across the Mediabase Christian AC and Mediabase Christian Audience charts since she first launched on the scene with “My Jesus” in 2021.

     

    LISTEN: REBEL

     

    Earlier this month, Wilson commemorated the groundbreaking release with a performance of the title-track “REBEL” on The 3rd Hour of TODAY. Combining much-needed encouragement, vulnerability and transparency into a perfect balance that footholds the space between the dead-end road paved in dirt and the church pew of redemption on Sunday morning, the record, produced by Jeff Pardo and Jonathan Smith, emerges as a powerful message of faith. Highlighted on the album is fan-favorite “Songs About Whiskey,” accompanied by an all-new music video, that finds Wilson unashamedly walking the line of her strong faith and Country roots. Collaborations with some of Christian and Country music’s biggest names bolster the record, enlisting reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson for “Praying Woman,” GRAMMY-Award winner Chris Tomlin for “The Cross” and Country superstar Jordan Davis for “Country Gold.”

    Last month, Wilson landed her first CMT Music Award nomination for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year for “Rain In The Rearview.” Despite only being three years into her career, Wilson has already won a Billboard Music Award, multiple DOVE and K-LOVE Fan Awards and received nominations for prestigious honors from the GRAMMYs and American Music Awards. Recognized as Apple Music’s Country Riser for April, an artist to watch by Spotify, Pandora, the Grand Ole Opry, CMT and more, and over 900M career streams, Wilson’s trajectory knows no bounds.

    As Wilson prepares to take the stage for The REBEL Tour, she will grace the stages of both Country and Christian music’s most sought-after festivals this summer. Stay up to date with Wilson at www.annewilsonofficial.com and keep up with her on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

     

    The REBEL Tour dates with Jordan Rowe:

    Sept. 12, 2024 in Tulsa, Okla. at Mabee Center

    Sept. 13, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas at Will Rogers Auditorium

    Sept. 14, 2024 *TBA

    Sept. 19, 2024 in Atlanta, Ga. at The Coca-Cola Roxy

    Sept. 21, 2024 in North Charleston, S.C. at North Charleston Performing Arts Center

    Sept. 25, 2024 in Nashville, Tenn. at Ryman Auditorium

    Sept. 26, 2024 in Charlotte, N.C. at Ovens Auditorium

    Sept. 27, 2024 in Birmingham, Ala. at BJCC Concert Hall

    Oct. 3, 2024 in Melbourne, Fla. at King Center for the Performing Arts

    Oct. 4, 2024 in Jacksonville, Fla. at Florida Theatre

    Oct. 5, 2024 in Tampa, Fla. at Straz Center

    Oct. 10, 2024 in Newark, N.J. at Calvary Temple International

    Oct. 11, 2024 in Reading, Pa. at Santander Performing Arts Center

    Oct. 12, 2024 in Washington, D.C. at Warner Theatre

    Oct. 17, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minn. at State Theatre

    Oct. 18, 2024 in Chicago, Ill. at Willow Creek – South Barrington – Lakeside

    Oct. 19, 2024 in Indianapolis, Ind. at Reardon Auditorium

    Nov. 1, 2024 in Phoenix, Ariz. at Orpheum Theatre

    Nov. 2, 2024 in San Diego, Calif. at Faith Chapel

    Nov. 3, 2024 *TBA

    Nov. 8, 2024 in Boise, Idaho at Morrison Center

    Nov. 9, 2024 in Sacramento, Calif. at SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center

    Nov. 10, 2024 in Bakersfield, Calif. at The Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater

    Nov. 12, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah at Kingsbury Hall

    Nov. 13, 2024 in Denver, Colo. at Paramount Theater

    Nov. 15, 2024 in Tacoma, Wash. at Pantages Theatre

    Nov. 16, 2024 in Spokane, Wash. at Fox Theater

    Nov. 17, 2024 in Salem, Ore. at Elsinore Theatre

     

    REBEL Track List:

    1. “REBEL” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West)
    2. “Rain In The Rearview” (Anne Wilson, Matthew West, Zach Kale, Jaren Johnston)
    3. Strong” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West)
    4. “God & Country” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Trannie Anderson)
    5. “Praying Woman” (with Lainey Wilson) (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson)
    6. “Songs About Whiskey” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Lauren Hungate)
    7. “Sinner’s Prayer” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Lauren Hungate)
    8. “The Cross” (with Chris Tomlin) (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Jonathan Smith)
    9. “My Father’s Daughter” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Emily Weisband)
    10. “Red Flag” (Anne Wilson, Jonathan Smith, Casey Beathard)
    11. “Country Gold” (with Jordan Davis) (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West)
    12. “Southern Gospel” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Lauren Hungate)
    13. “Dirt Roads In Heaven” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Nicolle Galyon, Matthew West)
    14. “3:16” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West)
    15. “Milestones” (Anne Wilson, Nicolle Galyon, Lauren Hungate)
    16. “Out of the Bluegrass” (Anne Wilson, Nicolle Galyon, Emily Weisband)

     

    Audio / Anne Wilson talks about the song, “Rebel.”

    Download

    Anne Wilson (REBEL song) OC: …fitting in. :28
    “Ever since I started making music, I felt like a little bit of an outsider. My sound is inspired by my Kentucky roots and my lyrics are inspired by my spiritual roots. So, I’ve just decided I’m going to be unapologetic about my sound and just as unapologetic about my message. My faith is the most important part of my life. I hope this song will be an anthem for others to stand out in a world so obsessed with fitting in.”

  • TRAVIS DENNING RELEASES NEW TRACK “ADD HER TO THE LIST” OFF HIS UPCOMING DEBUT ALBUM ROADS THAT GO NOWHERE COMING MAY 24th.

    Travis Denning is gearing up to release his debut album, Roads That Go Nowhere, on May 24, but today he released a new track off the forthcoming album, “Add Her To The List.” Produced by Paul DiGiovanni and Jeremy Stover, the song is written by DiGiovanni, Stover and Bobby Pinson. It is one of the 15 tracks on the project that also includes features by HARDY and Josh Ross.

    “Add Her To The List” features a feather soft, atmospheric rock foundation and tells the story of someone who lives in a world of deep regret – racked with guilt over decisions they instantly wish they could take back. Says Denning, “I think it goes back to the Roads That Go Nowhere theme. It’s easy to look back and go, ‘That was a dead end, that one worked out, I got stuck in traffic on that one and I drove 100 miles an hour down that one.’ This song is almost totally parallel to that theme.”

    Travis has tour dates through the fall. This spring and summer, he will support HARDY on his Quit!! tour.

    ROADS THAT GO NOWHERE Track List:

    1. Why I’m Drinking (Josh Kerr, Jon Nite, Cole Taylor)
    2. I Know How It Sounds (Travis Denning, Will Bundy, Chase McGill)
    3. Better At Leaving (Travis Denning, Jared Hampton, Tripp Howell)
    4. Strawberry Wine And A Cheap Six Pack (Travis Denning, Thomas Archer, Paul DiGiovanni, Jerry Flowers)
    5. Going Places (Travis Denning, Paul DiGiovanni, Matt Mulhare, Jeremy Stover)
    6. Someone That Isn’t Me (Travis Denning, Paul DiGiovanni, Blake Pendergrass, Bobby Pinson)
    7. Southern Rock (Featuring HARDY) (Travis Denning, Jessi Alexander, Chase McGill)
    8. Love You Past That (Travis Denning, Bobby Pinson, Chris Stevens, Jeremy Stover)
    9. Things I’m Going Through (Jordan Dozzi, Matt Mulhare)
    10. Add Her To The List (Paul DiGiovanni, Bobby Pinson, Jeremy Stover)
    11. Roads That Go Nowhere (Travis Denning, Ben Foster, James McNair)
    12. The Sound Of A Beer Getting Cracked (Featuring Josh Ross) (Travis Denning, Will Bundy, Chase McGill)
    13. Can’t Find One (Travis Denning, Chase McGill, Chris Stevens, Jeremy Stover)
    14. Here And Her (Travis Denning, Ben Johnson, Cole Taylor)
    15. Ocmulgee River (Travis Denning)

     

    Audio / LINER Travis Denning (Add Her To The List)

    Download
  • BROTHERS OSBORNE’S NEW SINGLE “BREAK MINE” HITS COUNTRY RADIO TODAY; ONE OF THE MOST ADDED SONGS ON COUNTRY RADIO THIS WEEK.

    Brothers Osborne’s “Break Mine” is hitting country radio airwaves nationwide. The song is the 3rd most added song at country radio this week, with 33 new stations and 36 total first week, and is featured on their EP of the same name, out now via EMI Records Nashville. Stacking acclaim for the new single, Billboard notes, “TJ Osborne lends his earthy, sultry drawl…while John Osborne’s blues-dipped guitar shredding gets layered with piano and percussion” while MusicRow adds, “A rumbling freight train of romance beckons. Climb aboard and enjoy the ride.”

    Click HERE to download audio and liners.

    Shared TJ Osborne of the Break Mine EP, “This one is for the fans. Every time we release an album, our fans are asking for more music, faster. We heard that, and held some special songs back from our last project so we could release them now. We also wanted to include a couple of the tracks from Brothers Osborne that we thought deserved some more of the spotlight. We can’t wait to play these songs on the road for you all this spring.” Break Mine EP is available digitally here, and their previously released self-titled fourth studio album is available here.

    Brothers Osborne are nominated for Duo of the Year at the upcoming 59th ACM Awards, marking the band’s 17th ACM nomination and their tenth year in a row being nominated in the category. The brothers have taken home the award four times, including last year. The ACM Awards will stream live exclusively on Prime Video on Thursday, May 16, at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

    Brothers Osborne will kick off leg two of their 35-date “Might As Well Be Us Tour” on May 18th (full dates below). Tickets for all dates are on sale here.

    Brothers Osborne Break Mine EP
    1. “Break Mine”

    1. “We Ain’t Good At Breaking Up”
    2. “Back Home”
    3. “Get To Movin’ Again”

     

    Brothers Osborne “Might As Well Be Us Tour” Dates

    Sat, May 18 // Idaho Falls, ID // Mountain America Center &

    Sun, May 19 // Sandy, UT // Sandy Amphitheater &

    Tue, May 21 // Portland, OR // Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall &

    Wed, May 22 // Abbotsford, BC // Abbotsford Centre &

    Fri, May 24 // Modesto, CA // The Fruityard &

    Sat, May 25 // Oakland, CA //Fox Theater &

    Wed, May 29 // San Diego, CA // Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre &

    Fri, May 31 // Santa Barbara, CA // Santa Barbara Bowl &

    Sun, June 02 // Las Vegas, NV // The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas &

    Fri, June 07 // Charlotte, NC // Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre @

    Sat, June 08 // Raleigh, NC // Red Hat Amphitheater @

    Thu, June 13 // Columbus, OH // KEMBA Live! Outdoor Amphitheatre *

    Fri, June 14 // Buffalo, NY // Terminal B at The Outer Harbor *

    Sat, June 15 // Sterling Heights, MI // Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill*

    Thu, June 20 //Pittsburgh, PA // Stage AE – Outdoors+

    Fri, June 21 // Indianapolis, IN // Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park+

    Sat, June 22 // Chicago, IL // The Salt Shed+

    Thu, June 27 // LaFayette, NY // Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards Summer Concert Series*

    Fr,i June 28 // Newark, NJ // New Jersey Performing Arts Center – Prudential Hall*

    Sat, June 29 // Cleveland, OH // Jacobs Pavilion at Nautical *

    *Stephen Wilson Jr.

    + The Cadillac Three

    & Jackson Dean

    @ Caylee Hammack

  • JOSH TURNER INDUCTED INTO THE SOUTH CAROLINA ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC HALL OF FAME.

    Photo Credit | Evan Harney/UMGN

    Josh Turner is one of the newest members of The South Carolina Entertainment and Music Hall of Fame. Turner joined the class of 2024 at a special Hall of Fame Induction Show last Thursday (4/25) in Greenville, SC. The red-carpet event supported the non-profit organization that is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the achievements of South Carolina natives and individuals with connections to the state who have achieved national success.

    “For me, the reward has always been when I know I’ve done my best work. When you get recognized for it, that’s icing on the cake. Getting recognized by your home state is a special honor.  I’m thankful to everyone who played in a part in making it happen,” said Turner.

  • CHRIS STAPLETON WILL PERFORM AT THIS YEAR’S ACM AWARDS.

    The first round of artists set to perform live at this year’s ACM Awards have been announced. Chris Stapleton, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and Lainey Wilson are all set to take the stage.

    https://twitter.com/ACMawards/status/1784977694113058903

     

    As previously announced, show host Reba McEntire will also take the stage for a show stopping special performance featuring brand new music. Additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

    Reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year Chris Stapleton has five nods, including one for Entertainer of the Year, as well as his ninth consecutive nomination for Male Artist of the Year, an award he’s won three times in the past. Chris is also up for Album of the Year (Higher – Artist & Producer nominations) and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.

    Morgane Stapleton receives her first nomination as a producer on husband Chris Stapleton’s album Higher. 

    Fans can also tune into the official ACM Red Carpet on Prime Video, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, and Amazon Live, starting at 7 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. CDT / 4 p.m. PDT.

    The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards will stream live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on Thursday, May 16th at 8pm ET/7pm CT/5pm PT on Amazon Prime video. A Prime membership will not be required to watch live, everyone is invited to “attend” the Party of the Year.

    Fans can also tune into the official ACM Red Carpet on Prime Video, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, and Amazon Live, starting at 7 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. CDT / 4 p.m. PDT.

  • DARIUS RUCKER’S 15TH ANNUAL ‘DARIUS & FRIENDS’ ST. JUDE BENEFIT SET FOR JUNE 3 AT RYMAN AUDITORIUM.

    Darius Rucker returns to the historic Ryman Auditorium on Monday, June 3rd for his 15th annual “Darius & Friends” concert benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. The event, which unofficially kicks off the week of CMA Fest in downtown Nashville and has raised more than $3.6 million to date, will feature a surprise all-star roster of friends as has become tradition at the annual celebration.

     

    Rucker, who was honored as the 2023 CMA Humanitarian of the Year for always prioritizing philanthropic work throughout his career, made a commitment to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital nearly two decades ago after taking an inspiring tour of the hospital. Through this meaningful experience, Rucker learned how St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

    Reflecting on his 2008 visit to the hospital to the Tennessean, Rucker noted, “You see these kids who are sick, and they’re so happy to be there, because their caregivers are so loving and giving to them. And then you find out that nobody ever gets a bill. That blew me away. I was just like, ‘We’ll figure out some way to help you guys as much as I can.’”

    Now, a decade and a half later, that effort has become an annual tradition. Friends performing with Rucker in past years have included Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Jelly Roll, Charles Kelley of Lady A, Ashley McBryde, A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys, Megan Moroney, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers and Tommy Thayer of KISS, among many others.

    Tickets to the 15th annual “Darius & Friends” benefit concert start at $69 with VIP package options up to $249, available via AXS.com. Pre-sale access begins tomorrow (April 30th) at 10am CT, with tickets on sale to the general public this Friday (May 3rd) at 10am CT. The event is made possible with support from generous sponsors AMD, CDW and The Law Office of Jennifer McCoy.

    The announcement of this year’s “Darius & Friends” event adds to an exciting season for the three-time GRAMMY winner, who on Friday released a reimagined duet version of his Carolyn’s Boy album standout “Never Been Over” featuring Jennifer Nettles and on May 28 will release his first book, a memoir titled “Life’s Too Short” that explores the story of his life through the lens of the music that defined it. Rucker also returns to the road with his Hootie & the Blowfish bandmates in May for the Summer Camp with Trucks Tour. Tickets are on sale now HERE.

    For more information, visit DariusRucker.com and follow on social media @DariusRucker.