Bobby Bones and Friends Bring Music and Smiles To St. Jude Patients
It was a gloomy day outside of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. on Tuesday (Oct. 29), but…
Bobby Bones at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Photo Courtesy of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
It was a gloomy day outside of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. on Tuesday (Oct. 29), but inside the hospital’s pavilion where multi-media personality Bobby Bones and his friends were on hand to visit with patients and their families, it was anything but gloomy.
The American Idol mentor was joined by his The Bobby Bones Show cohorts Eddie Garcia and Amy Brown as well as powerhouse vocalist Caylee Hammack for a Halloween-themed hospital visit, complete with costumes and a special acoustic performance from The Raging Idiots and Hammack.
Kicking off their acoustic set with “When I Grow Up,” a song that was featured on the Raging Idiots’ children’s album, Bones and Garcia brought much-needed smiles to the faces of St. Jude patients and their families.
Trading in her usual set consisting of songs like “Family Tree” and “Preciatcha,” Hammack opted to embrace her Ariel Halloween costume and treat the kids to a few songs from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Later, her performance of the viral hit “Baby Shark” prompted a full-on dance party among the patients, with many of them making their way to the front to join in on the fun as Bones and Garcia sang along.
After closing their fun-filled set with a cover of “Old Town Road,” a clear fan-favorite, Bones and friends made their way to the side of the pavilion to spend some one-on-one time with patients, taking time to meet with each child and their family individually. They even had a chance to meet a few of the patients’ special friends that help bring comfort to them during their treatments at St. Jude, including one young boy’s stuffed animal named Joey.
“I love the work that St. Jude does and no matter how many times I go visit, I’m always struck by how special it is there for countless reasons,” Bones, who has raised over $11 million for St. Jude to date, tells Country Now. “I appreciate them for letting us come spend our day with them, playing our songs in silly costumes because it’s honestly the best part of what we get to do.”
Before heading back to Nashville, the group enjoyed a quick tour of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and had a chance to learn more about the ways the hospital is continuing its research to end childhood cancer.
Bones has been an avid supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for six years. He supports the hospital in many ways, including his star-studded “Million Dollar Show,” which in 2019, featured artists like Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum and Cole Swindell. The show brought in a whopping $200,000 this year alone.
In December, The Bobby Bones Show is set to host its annual Radiothon in support of St. Jude. Additional details on that will be released in the coming weeks.
Overall, the country music community has been a longtime supporter of St. Jude, raising more than $850 million through Country Cares for St. Jude Kids®. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food—because all they should worry about is helping their child live.
Those interested in making a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital can visit thisshirtsaveslives.org to become a monthly donor.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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