In 2013, the Commonwealth Cares Foundation partnered with NEEDTOBREATHE on the foundation’s annual charity golf tournament with hopes of creating something special. The focus was on developing an event that not only raised valuable funds but also increased awareness of the mission of OneWorld Health, a nonprofit organization based in Charleston that aims to bring sustainable quality healthcare to developing communities in Central America and Africa.

The partnership resulted in a first-class two-day event that combines the best of golf, music and giving. To date, more than $1.2 million has been raised to start and sustain two NEEDTOBREATHE Medical Centers in Tola and Jinotega, Nicaragua.

Slogging it out on the fairways until heavy rain forced players back to the clubhouse were Gamecocks Sterling Sharpe and Connor Shaw, Clemson Tiger Kevin Youngblood, three-time GRAMMY winner TobyMac, country artist David Nail, friends of the band including John Mark McMillan and Jon McLaughlin, and five-time GRAMMY nominee Hunter Hayes, who performed with breakout country star Devin Dawson.

The Charleston-based foursome that makes up NEEDTOBREATHE is lauded for their humanitarian efforts and widely acknowledged by music devotees and media tastemakers for their anthemic, alt-rock dynamic. Brothers Bear Rinehart (vocals, guitar) and Bo Rinehart (guitar, vocals), Seth Bolt (bassist/vocalist), and Josh Lovelace (keyboardist/vocalist) have earned those accolades through musicianship and innovation.

Their forthcoming collection of songs, Forever On Your Side (Niles City Sound Sessions), has garnered attention after the release of the first track, “Bridges Burn,” and is the title of their 37-city headlining tour that kicks off Aug. 10 with stops at the Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville, the Greek in Los Angeles, and a likely third career sell-out at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colo. The tour ends on Oct. 7 with a performance at the Volvo Car Stadium on Daniel Island.