Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Kelly Clarkson Surprises Darius Rucker With CMA Humanitarian of the Year Award

Kelly Clarkson Surprises Darius Rucker With CMA Humanitarian of the Year Award
by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.

Kelly Clarkson and Darius Rucker had a special moment at The Kelly Clarkson Show. On Monday (October 23), Rucker dropped by the talk show to discuss his new album, Carolyn’s Boy, and his charity work. And in the middle of their conversation, Clarkson revealed that Rucker was chosen to receive the 2023 CMA Humanitarian of the Year Award.

A Big Surprise For Country Singer Darius Rucker

Darius Rucker talked through stories from his past years, especially how his late mother greatly influenced his commitment to giving back while sitting side by side with Kelly Clarkson. Rucker recalled growing up in a “really poor neighborhood” with not much and how his mother has instilled important lessons in him, and that is “you help people – not people that are less fortunate; you help people that need help.”

Clarkson praised Rucker’s mom for her down-to-earth parenting, revealing the surprise for the “It Won’t Be Like This For Long” singer. She told the audience that Rucker was completely unaware that he would receive the 2023 CMA Humanitarian of the Year Award for his long-standing charitable work.

When Rucker heard the news and received the humanitarian award, you could really tell from his facial expression how surprised he was. With raised eyebrows, he exclaimed, “Wow, that’s incredible,” and he got up to hug Clarkson.

RELATED: Discover Five Intriguing Facts About Darius Rucker That You Won’t Want to Miss

The CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award is actually given to someone who has shown themselves to be a true humanitarian. This recognition is based on their community leadership, financial contributions, personal volunteering, and advocacy efforts. 

The person honored has demonstrated a strong dedication to causes that matter to the Country Music Association and, of course, the entire country music community.

Amazingly, the South Carolina native has upheld his mother’s wisdom and advice in both his personal life and career. To this day, Rucker continues to dedicate his time to helping those in need through various charitable activities. It includes pledging his support to others by raising funds to donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

Rucker also plays a role as a co-chair in a fundraising campaign that raised $150 million for the construction of the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. This project is directly influenced by his mom, who worked as a nurse at MUSC.

The announcement of Rucker receiving the 2023 CMA Humanitarian of the Year Award comes shortly before the 57th Annual CMA Awards, which is scheduled to broadcast live from Nashville on Wednesday, November 8 at 8/7c on ABC. 

Congratulations to Darius Rucker for receiving the 2023 CMA Humanitarian of the Year Award! Your dedication to making a positive impact on your community and beyond is truly inspiring.

Watch the video below as Kelly Clarkson reveals that the (CMA) is honoring Darius Rucker as Humanitarian of the Year for his many charitable efforts over the years.

Latest Stories

Alan Jackson Sings a Heartfelt Cover of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”

Alan Jackson Sings a Heartfelt Cover of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”

Debuting his gospel album on February 28, 2006, Alan Jackson made his own rendition of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Helen H. Lemmel. The song was featured as the ...

Tori Kelly Reminds Us That We Are “Never Alone” With Jesus

Tori Kelly Reminds Us That We Are “Never Alone” With Jesus

In 2018, American singer Tori Kelly released a gospel song titled “Never Alone” as part of her album Hiding Place.  The song instantly became one of Tori Kelly’s greatest hits, ...

FloydFest 2024: What You Need To Know

FloydFest 2024: What You Need To Know

Festival Title:FloydFest Horizon 2024Festival Duration:July 24-28, 2024 2024Venue:5826 Floyd Highway FestivalPark in North Check, VirginiaPerformers Include:Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Black Pumas, Charley Crockett, Sierra Ferrell, and moreTicket Information:Get Your Tickets ...

FairWell Festival 2024: What You Need To Know

FairWell Festival 2024: What You Need To Know

Festival Title:FairWell Festival 2024Festival Duration:July 19-21, 2024Venue:Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Central Oregon, OregonPerformers Include:Kacey Musgraves, Caamp, Billy Strings, and moreTicket Information:Get Your Tickets Here Deschutes County Fairgrounds is gearing up ...

Post Malone and Blake Shelton's “Pour Me A Drink,” the Collab of the Century

Post Malone and Blake Shelton’s “Pour Me A Drink,” the Collab of the Century

In 2024, American rapper Post Malone released the country bop “Pour Me A Drink,” featuring country superstar Blake Shelton – and let’s say, it was far beyond what people expected. ...

Country Singer Mark Chesnutt In Recovery After Emergency Heart Surgery 

Country singer Mark Chesnutt from Beaumont, Texas, shared a health update on his Instagram account following an emergency heart surgery earlier in June 2024. In his post, he wrote, “Well ...

Billy Ray Cyrus and Firerose Trade Abuse Allegations in Divorce Battle

Billy Ray Cyrus and Firerose Trade Abuse Allegations in Divorce Battle

Billy Ray Cyrus claims estranged wife, Firerose, has verbally, emotionally, and physically abused him during their seven-month marriage. The claims came about after Firerose filed a response to Cyrus’ divorce ...

Sonny James' Timeless Cover of the Classic Hit “Young Love”

Sonny James’ Timeless Cover of the Classic Hit “Young Love”

In 1957, legendary country singer Sonny James released one of the timeless covers of the classic hit song “Young Love.” The song was originally released by Ric Cartey and Jiva-Tones ...

Best Country Fiddler Doug Kershaw’s Performance of “Diggy Diggy Lo”

In 1969, Doug Kershaw released his solo version of the hit song “Diggy Diggy Lo,” which surprised fans. The song was originally released by Doug and his brother Rusty in ...

Rock the South 2024: What You Need To Know

Rock the South 2024: What You Need To Know

Festival Title:Rock the South 2024Festival Duration:July 18-20, 2024Venue:York Farms in Cullman, AlabamaPerformers Include:Eric Church, HARDY, Jelly Roll, and moreTicket Information:Get Your Tickets Here The biggest party in the South, Rock ...