Hundreds of golfers and good-timers will gather this weekend in Greenville for the 14th annual Delta Soul Celebrity Golf & Charity Event.
Delta Soul, which takes place June 12-14 at the Greenville Golf & Country Club, was founded and is presented by Mississippi musician Steve Azar. Azar, who also hosts In A Mississippi Minute on SuperTalk Mississippi, has grown the event into one of the region’s largest charity opportunities.
“We’ve got a couple of hundred folks from all over the country coming down here,” Azar said, noting 22 states will be represented at this year’s event. “All of the proceeds go to the Steve Azar St. Cecilia Foundation. There are so many wonderful beneficiaries down here, and we’ve been able to keep rolling the generosity of so many from in and out of the state. It’s truly a blessing.”
Through the first 13 years of Delta Soul, over $1.5 million has been donated to programs such as Camp Looking Glass, Boys & Girls Club of Washington County, and the Delta Music Institute at Delta State University, among a long list of others. The event has also created an estimated economic impact north of $40 million.
Azar, whose name brands the event, said it’s a team effort to keep the event going and growing. He gave a shoutout to sponsors, volunteers, vendors, and of course the celebrities who take to the links for the sake of charity.
“I’m one of many in our foundation,” he said. “I get the credit, but the credit belongs to our volunteers, our sponsors, our celebrities, our vendors, and everyone else who runs the show.”
From sports to showbiz and some musicians sprinkled in, this year’s list of celebrity golfers might be the most star-studded yet. On the athletic side, it includes Olympians Terry Ahola, Trent Dimas, and Steve Lundquist; former NFL players John Bond, Tim Fox, Corey Miller, Mark Pattison, Mark Rypien, Jake Coker, and Pete Shaw; former MLB players Louis Coleman and Reggie Smith; former Ole Miss basketball star Marshall Henderson; Ray “Glacier” Lloyd of WWE; and professional golfers Robert Gamez, Suzi Stanley, and Kris Teschetter.
Representing the actors, comedians, and models will be Kim Alexis, Richard Burgi, Jackie Flynn, Richard Karn, and Tudi Roche. Musicians Ray Boudreaux, Dana Kamide, Branford Marsalis, Ramsey Midwood, and Seth Power will be in attendance. Joining them are Shawn Drover of Megadeth and Jim “Soni” Sonefeld of Hootie and the Blowfish.
“There’s nothing like bringing our celebrity friends and sponsors together from all over the nation and showing them what Greenville and the Delta is really about – great food and drink, incredible music, and our people coming together to raise money to invest back into this community.”
Outside of the golf tournament, plenty will be taking place over the three-day extravaganza including concerts, a silent auction, and a catfish fry. To find out more about the Delta Soul Celebrity Golf & Charity Event, click here.
