Luke Combs, James Taylor to headline Charlotte concert benefitting Helene victims

CHARLOTTE — Several North Carolina music stars are headlining a concert at Bank of America Stadium to support Hurricane Helene relief efforts.

Luke Combs, Eric Church, Billy Strings, and James Taylor are performing at “Concert for Carolina” on Oct. 26.

“The Tar Heel State is a profoundly special place for all four artists, as it is where Combs, Church and Taylor grew up and first discovered their musical interests, and where Strings has performed many, many times over his career and holds an extra special place in his heart,” a news release reads.

The benefit concert will be put on by Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority.

More artists are expected to be announced at a later date.

The proceeds from the concert will go toward Helene relief efforts in the Carolinas and the Southeast. Organizers said the proceeds and sponsorships will be split 50/50 between Combs and Church’s Chief Cares Foundation to give to organizations of their choosing. The rest will go to Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, as well as one more organization still to be announced.

Tickets go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. Click here for details.

For those unable to attend the concert, donations can be made to The North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund.

‘A really special night’

On Tuesday, Luke Combs and Eric Church spoke about what it took to put together a benefit concert in two weeks.

“[Eric Church] is the first guy I called. I know how much our state means to him and to myself,” Combs said.

“Had this crazy idea that to do a show at Bank of America. [The Teppers] were gracious enough to get us that date, donate the stadium to us,” he added. “I think it’s going to be a really special night.”

Plus, Church has released a Helene version of his song “Darkest Hour.” It’s not only dedicated to the survivors of the storm, but the proceeds will go to them forever.

“And there’s a line in this song that says, ‘In your darkest hour, I’ll come running,’ and that’s what the people there need right now,” Church said. “They need us to come running. And I just, I thought it fit the moment.”

Church also talked about how special western North Carolina is to him.

“You think about a hurricane and you think about the mountains of North Carolina — this is never something that crosses your mind,” he said. “Being from there and spending that much time there, when I see a lot of those pictures and those images, I know those places and I don’t recognize those places. It’s devastating.”

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