Standing in front of more than 80,000 faces, Eric Church took a moment to absorb the spectacle at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday evening.
“I’ve never played a show this close to my heart,” the country singer and Tar Heel State native noted to the deafening roar of the crowd.
Named the “Concert for Carolina,” the all-star gathering was the brainchild of Church and fellow North Carolina “local boy done good” Luke Combs. The two country stars combined forces and called everyone they knew who might be available to join them.
Among those answering the call were James Taylor, Billy Strings, Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban, and the Avett Brothers. Together, they raised more than $24.5 million for those in need following the devastating floods washing through Western North Carolina last month from Hurricane Helene.
“The Avett family is deeply rooted in Western North Carolina. It has been our home and our sanctuary,” Scott Avett tells Rolling Stone. “We hope we can add to the healing that is needed in this precious and sacred place.”
In the hours leading up the marathon concert, thunderstorms overtook the Queen City. It was the first raindrops in the area in exactly a month since Helene swept across a dozen counties in Western North Carolina, leaving 96 dead and billions in damage.
“We’re saddened by the destruction,” Avett says. “But we are inspired by the courage that the people who live there have shown.”
The ominous reminder of nature’s fury dissipated by show time, right as a lone Church emerged with his Gretsch electric guitar and began strumming the chords to Leonard Cohen’s seminal melody “Hallelujah” to kick off the festivities.
“I’ll stand before the lord of song,” Church’s voice echoed throughout the venue. “With nothing on my tongue but hallelujah.”
The “Concert for Carolina” quickly became a montage of incredible performances, one-off collaborations, and awe-inspiring selections aimed at the heart of the matter — lending a hand and giving a hug to your family, friends, neighbors, and strangers in a dark hour.
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“North Carolina has always been real special to me because it’s the home of Doc Watson,” Strings said, prefacing his performance of Watson’s “The Train That Carried My Girl From Town.”
Before Church reappeared, the massive performance screen above the stage lit up with a video of Church speaking to his plans to help folks in Western North Carolina. Titled “Blueprints for the Blue Ridge,” Church is committed to building 100 homes for 100 families affected by the floods.
“I hope it’s a lot more homes,” Church said. “I hope it’s about businesses and building the community back.”
Church’s solo set touched on many of his radio hits — “Springsteen,” “Drink in My Hand,” “Talladega,” and “Smoke a Little Smoke,” among them. But it was his poignant renditions of classic hits (Van Morrison’s “And It Stoned Me,” Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”) that struck a particular chord. “It’s just me and you tonight,” Church said. “And I’m going to take you back.”
Raised in Western North Carolina, he spoke of the first gig he ever played — at Woodlands BBQ in Blowing Rock, located in heavily hit Watauga County — and what that foundation of people and place meant to his life and career. “I wouldn’t be here tonight if it weren’t for where I was raised and who I was raised by,” Church stated.
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Meandering around the enormous “in the round” style stage in an effort to see as much of the audience as possible, Church would eventually welcome Sheryl Crow for a duet of “Picture” before handing the reins over to Crow for a couple of her staples (“If It Makes You Happy,” “Everyday Is a Winding Road”).
During one of the changeover sets, Chase Rice hopped behind the microphone with his guitar. A native of Western North Carolina, the country singer acknowledged the severity of the situation still unfolding in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. “I’ve never seen anything like that,” Rice said. “And I never thought I’d see something like that.”
A graduate of AC Reynolds High School in Asheville, Rice was also a member of the football team coached by Bryan Craig. Hailing from a holler known as “Craigtown,” the coach lost 11 family members from a mudslide that devastated the tightly-knit community. “I pray to God a lot of that money goes to Craigtown,” Rice said.
The night before the “Concert for Carolina,” Rice attended an AC Reynolds football game to be there for not only his hometown, but also for Craig, who was still coaching on the sidelines, even in the midst of unimaginable tragedy. (At the show itself, a section of seats in Bank of America stadium was specifically reserved for folks from “Craigtown.”)
“’Nother night, ‘nother show to play/Oh hey Mister James Taylor, she ain’t only on your mind,” Rice crooned on “Carolina Can,” a poignant segue before “Sweet Baby James” himself appeared.
Taylor perfectly captured the intense range of emotions swirling around the stadium with “Carolina in My Mind” and “Fire and Rain.” But it was his cover of Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend” that connected in both sorrow and compassion with the audience. “Winter, spring, summer or fall/All you have to do is call,” Taylor sang. “And I’ll be there, yes, I will/You’ve got a friend.”
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Combs, a native of Asheville, who like Church, attended Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, closed the night with a rousing set of his country radio anthems like “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “Beautiful Crazy,” and his cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” But he intentionally chose to open with “This One’s for You,” the title track of his 2017 debut album. On this night, the song served as a declaration of respect, for all of his fellow Carolinians affected by the storms.
He returned to the concert’s theme of collaboration and cooperation to end the benefit, welcoming Church back to the stage to duet on Church’s simply titled salute to home, “Carolina.” “Oh Carolina, you keep calling me home,” they sang, “calling me home.”
