Country-soul singer/songwriter and avid golfer Steve Azar has raised $170,000 through his 2nd Annual Delta Soul Celebrity Golf & Charity Event that took place in June in the heart of the Delta -- Greenville, MI. All proceeds from the golf and music extravaganza will benefit the singer's non-profit charity organization, The Steve Azar St. Cecilia Foundation, which supports art programs at various local organizations throughout the Delta region.
Presented by The Skin Institute, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi and The Hartness Foundation, the 2013 Delta Soul Celebrity Golf & Charity Event took place over three days (June 6-8) throughout various locations in Greenville and the Delta region. Sponsors and celebrities attending the Delta Soul event represented over 21 different states from coast to coast, with approximately 500 total participants this year.
Among the many celebrities hitting the greens with Azar were Denver Broncos Head Coach John Fox, actor Chris Rich (The Reba Show, Murphy Brown), Baseball Hall of Fame great Reggie Smith, comedian Gary Valentine (King of Queens, Chelsea Lately), actors Grant Show (Devious Maids, Melrose Place) and Richard Karn (Home Improvement, Family Feud), and LPGA Tour and 2012 Delta Soul tournament winner Kris Tschetter.
Joining Azar for the concert portion of the event were jazz saxophonist, composer and bandleader Branford Marsalis (Branford Marsalis Quartet), bluegrass vocalist and instrumentalist Dan Tyminski (Alison Krauss & Union Station), as well as musicians Mark Bryan and Dean Felber (Hootie and the Blowfish).
The annual Delta Soul Celebrity Golf & Charity Event delivers a combination of comedy, music, food and celebrating the Delta, all while raising funds to support various children's charities and arts within educational and cultural institutions throughout the Delta. The special event brings celebrities from all walks of life in sports, music, television and film to enjoy golf and other festivities that highlight the Delta and her musical history, southern food and southern hospitality. Many of the celebrity guests and sponsors who attend have called the event one of the best celebrity charity events in the U.S..
"My wife Gwen and I have always wanted to host an event such as this, but it wasn't until moving back to the Delta that we felt we could do something of this magnitude," notes Azar. "Our close friends -- some of whom I grew up with here -- make up our event committees, and they felt just as compelled to bring this event to the Delta. With their support, along with the spirited community, generous sponsors and my celebrity friends, it all came together. Although this event has much more to offer than just hittin' the little white ball, golf is a common ground that unites us all and gives us the stage for doing some good."
