Last night's ‘Concert for Carolina’ raised $24.5M+, and the region’s spirit
Plus: Death total rises to 98; Video shows North Fork Reservoir spillways preventing ‘catastrophic’ flooding; Nonprofit begins river cleanup
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At a benefit concert for Western North Carolina following a massive hurricane, a rain delay felt almost like a cruel joke. But the rain stopped around 7 p.m., and the most moving and uplifting concert I have ever experienced began with a cover of “Hallelujah” by Eric Church and his guitar.
Last night, more than 82,000 people gathered at Bank of America Stadium for “Concert for Carolina,” a benefit concert featuring Church, Luke Combs, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban and Billy Strings, among others. People residing in the affected counties were able to stream the concert for free. (About 3,200 people were expected to gather at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in downtown Asheville to watch it together, said Vic Isley of Explore Asheville at a news conference Saturday morning.)
Luke Combs rounded out the concert last night, inviting The Avett Brothers and Eric Church on stage for one more song. The concert ended just before 1 a.m.
Every single dollar made last night — which was announced as over $24.5 million at the end of the show — will go to charities supporting Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene’s destruction. The estimated damage of the hurricane in North Carolina is at $53 billion, Gov. Roy Cooper said at the press conference Saturday morning.
Looking around at the packed stadium last night and knowing everything had been donated — from the venue and equipment, to concert merchandise and beer, to ticket sales and the artists’ time and efforts to be there — made me unexpectedly emotional.
Many Western North Carolinians have expressed worries that the region will be forgotten in the weeks and months of recovery ahead. But last night, everyone in the stadium and watching on the live stream was thinking about them.
I realized that hearts can sometimes ache for good.
The best part of the night came toward the end of the six-hour-long concert.
But first, here are the highlights: The hosts of the evening were ESPN’s Marty Smith and Barstool Sports’ Caleb Pressley. After Church’s “Hallelujah” cover, Billy Strings performed a folk set on a spinning stage, bringing back childhood memories for people watching like my mother, who texted me as she watched the livestream, saying it reminded her of the street dances on the Fourth of July in Black Mountain.
Eric Church sang his song “Carolina,” which was accompanied by a sea of Carolina blue lights as everyone’s bracelets, which had been handed out at the gates, lit up around the stadium. The crowd sang along as Sheryl Crow performed “Everyday Is a Winding Road” and “If It Makes You Happy” in her sparkly silver boots, and Keith Urban sang a few of his hits and even brought his wife, Nicole Kidman, on stage.
James Taylor performed “Country Road,” “Fire and Rain” and “Carolina In My Mind,” among a few others. His son, Henry, was on stage singing backup. Other country artists like Scotty McCreery, Chase Rice and Parmalee also took the stage, sharing what Western North Carolina means to them. Country music legend Randy Travis, who’s from Marshville outside of Charlotte, was brought on stage and recognized. (Travis no longer sings, following a 2013 stroke.)
Luke Combs, who humbly championed the idea for the concert, rounded out the night, performing his hits, including his newest single from the “Twisters” movie, “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma,” and bringing up other artists like Bailey Zimmerman and The Avett Brothers. He displayed his high school football jersey from A.C. Reynolds High in Asheville on his band’s drum set.
But even after all of those big-time names and big-time performances, the one that defined the whole night for me — and the one that brought tears to everyone’s eyes — was a song by an amateur singer-songwriter named Wesko. Luke Combs told the audience he discovered Wesko on TikTok just a few days ago.
Wesko, a native of Eastern North Carolina, wrote a song for the western part of the state a few weeks ago, called “Helene,” which has been the soundtrack to many videos of Hurricane Helene’s destruction in the mountain towns. Combs’ team reached out to him at the last minute and invited him to Bank of America Stadium last night. Wesko missed a family wedding to be there.
You can listen to the full song here:
But here are some of the lyrics that stood out to me:
There’s violence down on Market Street,
But we didn’t know violence till we met Helene.
And the good folks are drowning in their mountain homes.
You’ll have to take a vacation just to bury our bones.
It’s sunshine and roses on that TV screen.
Those talking heads ain’t seen what I seen.
I’ve seen a mother standing on the top of her house.
Baby in her arms as she floated on down.
I watched my brother hanging on that limb,
Like a crucified Peter with a will to live.
The smell of death lingers on that mountainside.
There ain’t nothing left but the tears I’ve yet to cry.
You can’t call for help when the lines are down,
And the roads are washed out headed back to town.
The concert was meant to be a fun, uplifting night, especially for those affected by the hurricane who needed a night to forget the stress and pain, Combs said — and it was.
But Wesko’s performance really brought back the reason for the concert and reminded everyone that the region is still hurting and needs support.
Don’t forget about Carolina.
➡️ You can watch the whole concert here.
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Here are the latest updates coming out of the region:
Cooper gives update: At a news conference before “Concert for Carolina,” Gov. Roy Cooper told media that the state has confirmed 98 deaths and expects the number to rise some following “the deadliest and most devastating storm to ever hit North Carolina.” More than 100,000 homes and thousands of businesses were damaged, Cooper added, and the financial impact of the storm is an estimated $53 billion. Watch some of his remarks.
Flags at half-staff: Cooper ordered flags at state facilities to be flown at half-staff this weekend — from sunrise on Saturday to sunset tonight (Oct. 27) — to honor the 98 lives lost in Hurricane Helene. The state has increased recovery aid, with the Disaster Recovery Act of 2024 adding $604 million for post-disaster support. (WLOS)
North Fork Reservoir flooding saved by spillways: During a Friday briefing, a video showed water rushing over the North Fork reservoir's spillway during Hurricane Helene's peak. The reservoir rose by 18 feet, triggering the spillway to release water and preventing dam failure. According to Clay Chandler, Asheville's Water Resources spokesperson, a dam breach would have been catastrophic, potentially devastating areas between Black Mountain and Biltmore Village. The spillways' operation led to ground erosion around water lines, damaging them. (WLOS)
Cleaning up the French Broad River: MountainTrue, an Asheville-based nonprofit, has been leading cleanup efforts in the River Arts District. About 75 volunteers filled 650 trash bags last week. Hartwell Carson, MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper, is also conducting water tests to assess contamination levels. Although they found traces of pollutants like trimethylbenzene, levels are manageable, with precautions advised for those working in affected areas. (WLOS)
WATCH: Audience bracelets turn Carolina blue during Eric Church’s performance of ‘Carolina’
AND WATCH: James Taylor gives an emotional performance of ‘Carolina in My Mind’
Photo of the day: Luke Combs, Eric Church talk about ‘Concert for Carolina’ origins
Carolina Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper (from left), country music stars Luke Combs and Eric Church, N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper, and Explore Asheville CEO Vic Isley spoke at a press conference for “Concert for Carolina” Saturday morning. They shared how the concert came together in 28 days and that 100% of all proceeds will go to charities supporting Western North Carolina relief efforts, including MANNA Foodbank, Second Harvest Food Bank NWNC, Samaritan’s Purse, Eblen Charities and Eric Church’s nonprofit, Chief Cares, which pledged to help rebuild 100 homes in Avery County. Watch some of Eric Church’s remarks here.
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Lindsey Banks, a native of the Buncombe County town of Swannanoa, is a staff reporter with The Charlotte Ledger. Reach her at lindsey@cltledger.com.
Recent editions of Mountain Updates from The Charlotte Ledger:
“Some mountain students return to school” (Oct. 25)
“Anxiety and depression are expected to rise” (Oct. 22)
“Water troubles are likely to persist” (Oct. 18)
How to help
Many organizations have deployed groups across the region, tasked with distributing food, water and supplies. You can donate to their efforts at the links below.
Hearts with Hands, a local disaster relief organization, has a donation page to provide food, supplies and water.
United Way of North Carolina has established a fund to help residents affected by the flooding.
MANNA Foodbank, which serves 16 counties in Western North Carolina, is accepting food, supplies and monetary donations. The organization’s warehouse on Swannanoa River Road in Asheville was damaged by the hurricane.
The American Red Cross is accepting donations to help residents in the Southeast.
Samaritan’s Purse, which is headquartered in Boone, is scheduling volunteers to help with debris cleanup.
Operation Blessing has a donation page to provide food, supplies and water.
E4E Relief, a Charlotte-headquartered provider of emergency financial relief programs on behalf of corporations, is accepting donations for their newly established Hurricane Helene Community Fund, offering financial support to individuals with long-term impacts from Hurricane Helene.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman
Lindsey, Do you know if anywhere to buy official merch from Concert for Carolina?