Photo: Getty Images
Darius Rucker said he’s been “jealous of” four singers throughout the history of music.
The Grammy-winning country star and Hootie & the Blowfish artist hosted his 17th Darius & Friends benefit concert on Monday evening (June 1), benefitting St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Rucker performed throughout the evening on the historic Ryman Auditorium stage in Nashville, Tennessee, along with a surprise lineup that included Jason Aldean, Lauren Alaina, Carter Faith, Mark Wills and Randy Houser. Houser received a standing ovation for his powerful rendition of his 2013 single, “Like a Cowboy.”
“There’s only been four people in the history of music that I’ve been jealous of in my life,” Rucker told the audience after Houser finished his set and exited the stage. The “Come Back Song” artist listed: “Luther Vandross, Steve Perry, Chris Stapleton and Randy f***ing Houser.”
Rucker posted photos by photographer Evan De Stefano on Instagram on Wednesday (June 3), sharing that the event raised $1.1 million for St. Jude’s. He said he’s “grateful for everyone who came out for year 17 of Darius & Friends to help us give back to some amazing kids.” That adds to more than $5.1 million collectively raised for St. Jude’s from previous Darius & Friends shows, per a previous post on the singer’s website. Rucker has surprised audiences each year with a lineup of rapidly-rising artists and well-established mainstays — including Brooks & Dunn, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley and many others — in addition to taking the stage himself. Rucker delivers renditions of his career-spanning hits, Hootie & the Blowfish classics, surprise covers (including Tim McGraw’s “I Like It, I Love It,” TLC’s “Waterfalls,” and Bell Biv DeVoe’s “poison”), and more. Relive that night in photos by photographer Catherine Powell Stone, shared by the Ryman on Instagram, and Rucker's post below.