Darius Rucker has been named Southern Living’s Southerner of the Year for 2021 for his charitable work.
Darius has helped raise over $2 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital over the years. He also supported public education and junior golf in South Carolina through nearly $3.2 million in donations from the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation. On top of that, he co-chaired the campaign to build a children’s hospital at the Medical University of South Carolina, where he’s helped raise over $150 million through concerts and appearances.
He is also a national chair for the National Museum of African American Music, which just opened in Nashville.
Darius talked to the magazine about giving back saying, “This is the toughest time we may have seen in the history of our country. Even when things are good, it’s amazing how many people could use help. Whether you’re supporting a charity or an orphanage or a hospital, it seems to brighten days and make people feel better—and isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?”
He also talked about why supporting St. Jude means to much to him. ” I was on tour with Brad [Paisley] and Dierks [Bentley]. We were in Memphis and went down to St. Jude and really hung out there that day. We walked around and met so many of the wonderful kids and talked to the doctors and the administrators, who told us how no parent ever gets a bill. That was so amazing to me, and I just wanted to be a part of it.”
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