The Country Music Association<\/i> has awarded Darius Rucker<\/b> the 2023 CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award<\/i>.<\/p>\n
The country music superstar was presented the award in a surprise announcement from Kelly Clarkson<\/b> during his recent visit to “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”<\/p>\n
Rucker spoke about his late mother Carolyn Rucker<\/b> and explained how the namesake of his new album, Carolyn’s Boy<\/i>, directly inspired his passion for giving back.<\/p>\n
“When I was a kid, she instilled in us that you help people – not people that are less fortunate; you help people that need help,” Rucker shared with Clarkson about one of his mom’s greatest lessons. <\/p>\n
He also noted, “We grew up in a really poor neighborhood with not much and, you know, there was no reason for me to believe that I was gonna be here and make it. But she always instilled in me ‘believe in yourself, you can do whatever you want.'”<\/p>\n
The CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award recognizes an individual who has served as a humanitarian through community leadership, financial support, personal volunteerism, and advocacy. The CMA Foundation said that Rucker, who is a four-time CMA Awards nominee, has evidenced commitment to worthwhile causes that are important to the Country Music Association and the country music community.<\/p>\n
Rucker pledged his support to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital after an inspiring firsthand visit 15 years ago and, as a result, created the “Darius and Friends” charity auction, golf tournament and concert in 2010<\/p>\n
Rucker also co-chaired the capital campaign that generated $150 million to help build the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina.<\/p>\n
(Photo: Weiss Eubanks\/NBCUniversal) <\/p>\n