Watch Luke Bryan, Bobby Bones Sing ‘Sweet Caroline’ at Million Dollar Show for St. Jude
Right before his headlining set and a fun performance of "Sweet Caroline" in Nashville Monday night (Jan. 14), Luke Bryan tuned his guitar, straightened his ball cap, looked into the crowd at Ryman Auditorium and said, "What an unbelievable night."
Bryan and a slew of other country stars teamed with radio personality Bobby Bones for the fourth annual Million Dollar Show, a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
"I'm so honored to be here, to be a part of this night," Bryan remarked from stage. "2018 was incredible and to be here right in the beginning of 2019, ready to get out on the road again and play for you guys — the fans — it's so exciting. And to be able to start the [year] off with such a great cause, raising some money for St. Jude, which is so dear to our hearts."
The near four-hour show featured Bones’ band the Raging Idiots, as well as Lady Antebellum, Cole Swindell, Jon Pardi and Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down, who surprisingly presented Bones with a $10,000 donation to St. Jude, courtesy of the Better Life Foundation.
The night also included a range of surprise performances by Gavin DeGraw, Lindsay Ell, Kristian Bush and Sharna Burgess (Bones’ dancing partner on Season 27 of Dancing With the Stars, which they won!). Up-and-comers Bailey Bryan, Maggie Rose, Adam Hambrick and Rachel Wammack also graced the stage.
Bryan's set included his hits "Most People are Good" and "What Makes You Country," as well as an off-the-cuff rendition of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" (which he forgot the words to, laughing his way through the second verse). The night ended with all 10-plus performers returning to stage to sing the classic "Stand by Me."
During the show, it was stated that Bones' efforts have raised more than $10 million for St. Jude to date, and it appears as the fifth-annual Million Dollar Show is a strong guarantee for 2020.
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