Country Music At Large
Darius Rucker Benefit Concert Raises Over $255,000 For St. Jude
Darius Rucker's annual Darius & Friends benefit concert raised over $255,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
This year's event, which was conducted virtually due to the pandemic, featured Rucker, Clint Black and Tracy Lawrence and was held at the Grand Ole Opry on July 30.
"When we first started talking about this year's concert, which usually takes place during the week of CMA Fest, I had the idea to make it a really fun night of '90s country," Rucker wrote on Instagram.
"Even though gathering in person for our normal show wasn't possible this year, we still wanted to do as much as we could to support the great work happening at St. Jude," he added. "I'm so thankful to my friends Clint Black and Tracy Lawrence for helping that '90s country vision still come to life, and to the folks at LiveXLive for bringing this concert to everyone's screens at home."
Rucker started the Darius & Friends benefit concert in 2009 to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The event has raised over $2 million for the hospital over the years.
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Kelly Clarkson To Fill In For Injured Simon Cowell On 'America's Got Talent'
Kelly Clarkson will fill in for an injured Simon Cowell on upcoming episodes of NBC's "America's Got Talent."
On Monday, Clarkson announced that she will temporarily take over the judging role as Cowell recovers from an accident.
"My friend, Simon Cowell, is doing better now but was in an accident and won't be able to make Tuesday and Wednesday's live shows for AGT," Clarkson tweeted. "But no worries America, someone far wiser, cooler, and hotter is taking his seat! The unbelievably amazing Kelly Clarkson."
Cowell broke his back in several places after crashing his e-bike on Sunday in front of his Malibu, California, home. He underwent surgery but is now said to be recovering.
In a statement, Cowell thanked his fans for their support and also thanked the doctors and nurses at the hospital, calling them "Some of the nicest people I have ever met."
Music News Service distributed by Frankly Media. Copyright(c) 2020 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Taylor Swift's 'Folklore' Tops Billboard 200 For Second Week
Taylor Swift's new album Folklore has remained at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for the second straight week.
Folklore earned 135,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending August 6, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.
The album has seen an 84 percent drop from 846,000 units in its opening week, which was the biggest for any album in 2020.
Meanwhile, Billboard said Pop Smoke's Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon climbed 4-2 on the chart, while Juice WRLD's Legends Never Die holds at No. 3
The original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton: An American Musical and Lil Baby's My Turn round out the top five.
(Photo: Beth Garrabrant)
Music News Service distributed by Frankly Media. Copyright(c) 2020 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
