Thousands of cowboy boots stomped outside Bank of America stadium. Somehow, they were eclipsed by the amount of North Carolina tees and hats swirling around uptown Charlotte. Concert for Carolina, a benefit show aiding Western North Carolina’s Hurricane Helene victims, brought at least 86,000 people to the area.
Every ticket holder will see North Carolina natives Eric Church and Luke Combs — along with fellow stars James Taylor, Billy Strings, Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban, Bailey Zimmerman, The Avett Brothers, Scotty McCreery, Chase Rice and Parmalee — on Saturday night. Some would’ve bought the tickets regardless of who was playing. “We just felt like we needed to support the cause,” said Heidi Owen, 60.
She and two of her Lake Lure neighbors wore matching North Carolina: “Stronger Than The Storm” shirts they ordered off Etsy. They posed, brandishing the new shirts, in front of the iHeart Radio’s backdrop in front of the stadium. Then Shayne Swell suddenly teared up.
She had been transported back to the days following Hurricane Helene’s downpour on Appalachia. For too long, listening to the radio was “the only means of communication” she had with the outside world. “It was out only lifeline for two weeks,” she said.
All Concert for Carolina proceeds will be split between Combs and Church’s The Chief Cares Fund and distributed to several relief organizations helping those in need. MANNA FoodBank, where Combs said he and his mom used to volunteer, wil.