As volunteers and aid stream into areas devastated by Hurricane Helene, musicians across the region are rallying their fan bases to aid the recovery. Artists including Luke Combs, Billy Strings, James Taylor, and Sturgill Simpson have benefit concerts scheduled in the coming days and weeks, while venues like the Basement East in Nashville and Tipitina’s in New Orleans have already hosted their own fundraising shows.
North Carolina native Eric Church, who lives in the Western North Carolina mountains half of the year, will not only join Combs, Strings, and Taylor at the Concert for Carolina in Charlotte on October 26—he’s also signed over the publishing rights for his new song “Darkest Hour” to benefit North Carolinians.
“It’s a refuge for me. It’s a place I’ve always said where my soul is at rest,” Church said about the region in a video posted to TikTok. “A lot of people there are in their darkest hour, and they need us to come running. And I intend to do that.”
In addition, a new 136-song compilation album, Cardinals at the Window: A Benefit for Flood Relief in Western North Carolina, is now available as a digital download on Bandcamp. The album features live and unreleased songs from artists including R.E.M., Jason Isbell, Waxahatchee, the Avett Brothers, Jeff Tweedy, and MJ Lenderman, with proceeds going to the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Rural Organizing and Resilience, and BeLoved Asheville.
Below, we’ve rounded up eleven upcoming musical events across the Southeast benefiting recovery efforts.
Symphony of the Mountains
October 8
Symphony of the Mountains will present a benefit concert at the Paramount Bristol theater in Bristol, Tennessee. Proceeds will aid Symphony of the Mountains’ North Carolina musicians, whom the group says have suffered significant losses, as well as disaster relief efforts through United Way of East Tennessee.
Harmony with Hope
October 9
Formed in Asheville, the country-rock group Ashes & Arrows will headline the Harmony with Hope concert in the James B. Hunt Horse Complex at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Children 12 and under get in free, and ticket sales will benefit the grassroots non-profit BeLoved Asheville, which is aiding in recovery efforts.
Rescue Carolina with Woody Platt
October 11
Bluegrass artist and Brevard, North Carolina, native Woody Platt, best known for his work with Steep Canyon Rangers, has turned his album-release concert in Brevard into a benefit for Hurricane Helene victims. Since the concert is already close to a sellout, Platt will also livestream the event, and a GoFundMe for the occasion is set up for donations.
Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble and the Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra
October 13
At Greystone Baptist Church in Raleigh, the Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble and the Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra will hold a free benefit concert beginning at 6:30 p.m., featuring sets from each of the groups.
Unplugged for Appalachia
October 14
Lori McKenna, Amanda Shires, and Travis Denning lead a stacked lineup of Americana and country musicians at Nashville’s Exit/In. The concert will benefit the American Red Cross and Tennessee Rangers, which are providing aid across Tennessee and North Carolina.
Memphis Loves U
October 13
The music venue Railgarten, located in the Cooper-Young section of Memphis, will host the Memphis Loves U benefit show, featuring performances from Jack Oblivian, Found Harmonium, Rachel Maxann, Laundry Bats, and Louise Page, among others.
Help for Helene
October 18
Performers including Wrong Way Johnny, Cake Fight, Jefferson Speedboat, Gary Hawthorne, and Eliza Mose will take the stage at Help for Helene, at Cunningham Creek Winery in Palmyra, Virginia. All donations and a percentage of Cunningham Creek sales will support the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County.
Sturgill Simpson
October 21
On his current U.S. tour, Sturgill Simpson is treating fans to three-hour, career-spanning sets at each show. And he’s added a second night at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, North Carolina, where he’s donating proceeds to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund to support recovery efforts.
Concert for Carolina
October 26
Luke Combs, Eric Church, James Taylor, and Billy Strings will headline the Concert for Carolina at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. The all-star benefit aims to donate proceeds from ticket sales and sponsorships to organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina, and Church’s Chief Cares organization. Tickets go on sale October 10 at 10 a.m. (and will likely go fast).
Rockin’ the Boot
October 24
Down in Louisiana, country music artists Chris LeBlanc, Chase Tyler, David St. Romain, and Floyd Brown will play the Rockin’ the Boot benefit concert at the Texas Club in Baton Rouge, which also includes a live and silent auction.
From Wilmington, with Love
October 29
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, native and piano-pop singer-songwriter Ben Folds will headline a concert at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater. Proceeds will benefit charities assisting with emergency food, housing, and home repairs through the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.
