Luke Combs, Eric Church, Billy Strings, and James Taylor are set to hold a concert in North Carolina to raise funds for Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
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“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this happen on such short notice,” Combs shared on Instagram in conjunction with the announcement of the Concert for Carolina.
Several major music artists are joining forces in response to Hurricane Helene.
Less than two weeks after the tropical storm began impacting the Southeast, Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority announced that Luke Combs, Eric Church, Billy Strings, and James Taylor will headline the Concert for Carolina, a benefit show aimed at supporting victims of the disaster.
The event, hosted by ESPN’s Marty Smith and Barstool Sports’ Caleb Pressley, is scheduled for October 26 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Additional performers will be announced in the near future.
The benefit concert holds special significance for the four headlining artists, all of whom are from North Carolina.
“I told you all I had something big planned for Carolina,” Combs, 34, shared on Instagram with the announcement. “This concert required immense planning, effort, and coordination from so many people. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who made this possible on such short notice.”
Following the release of his first single in three years to support the people of North Carolina, Church, 37, also expressed his sentiments on Instagram about the Concert for Carolina.
“This is my home. It’s in every fiber of who I am. Our family members, friends, neighbors, and communities are in urgent need,” he wrote. “I’m honored to share the stage with such an amazing lineup to help address those needs. Through the darkness, light will shine.”
The Concert for Carolina was organized shortly after Hurricane Helene struck the Southeast, and David Tepper, owner of the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte FC, and Bank of America Stadium, quickly became involved along with his wife, Nicole, after receiving a call from Combs.
“When Luke first approached us with the idea for a concert to support relief efforts in the region, we felt it was important to open the doors of Bank of America Stadium for this special occasion,” the Teppers stated.
They added, “Every day, we are more inspired by the strength and determination of our Carolina community, and we are grateful to join Luke, Eric, and our fellow Carolinians as we work together on the road to recovery.”
The proceeds from the event will be evenly divided between Combs and Church’s Chief Cares Foundation. The “Forever After All” singer plans to donate his portion to Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, and a fourth organization that will be announced later.
In the meantime, Chief Cares will support “established charities and organizations that are well-managed, organized, and capable of delivering aid directly to families impacted by Hurricane Helene,” according to a press release.
For those unable to attend the concert, donations can be made to The North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund, and the Concert for Carolina’s website features several other organizations accepting contributions for hurricane relief.
Tickets for the concert will be available for purchase starting October 10 at 10 a.m. ET.
Additionally, last week, Dolly Parton committed to a $1 million donation to assist Hurricane Helene victims, as her home state of Tennessee was among the six states affected.
The “Jolene” singer’s donation will be matched by her East Tennessee businesses, which include Dollywood Parks & Resorts, Dolly Parton’s Stampede, Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, and the Dollywood Foundation.
“I truly wish we were all coming together for a different reason, but we have all witnessed the devastation,” Parton stated during a press conference.
“Who would have thought that in our little part of the country, where I was born and raised just down the road, we would experience such destruction? I look around and think: These are my mountains. These are my valleys,” she added. “These are my rivers flowing like a stream. These are my people. These mountain-colored rainbows. These are my people, and this is my home.”