Musicians Rally For North Carolina Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts

Areas of the Southeastern United States were devastated by Hurricane Helene, with Western North Carolina among the most ravaged regions hit by the historic storm. Recovery and cleanup efforts are underway, and there are a number of ways to help those affected by Hurricane Helene.

Local news outlet the Citizen Times shared a list of organizations and groups participating in the recovery efforts in Western North Carolina. Click here for the list of ways to help.

Many musicians have taken steps to support Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Western North Carolina. A massive 135-track compilation album, Cardinals At The Window, was released this week featuring Phish, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Jason Isbell, R.E.M. and scores of others. Proceeds from its sales go to Rural Organizing and Resilience, BeLoved Asheville and the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.

Hiss Golden Messenger (longtime North Carolina resident M.C. Taylor) released a live album, Sanctuary Songs: Live in Omaha, NE, December 1, 2023, with all proceeds going toward BeLoved Asheville.

One of the deeply affected cities, Asheville remains without water and other essential services. Asheville is home to one of JamBase’s longest-tenured employees and has a rich musical history. Among the many businesses sadly destroyed by Hurricane Helene was the Asheville live music venue the Salvage Station. A GoFundMe page was established to support the Salvage Station crew.

Eric Church, who hails from Granite Falls east of Asheville, gifted his new song, “Darkest Hour,” to his home state of North Carolina. Church’s Chief Cares Foundation “is currently directing all its charitable efforts to the communities who were directly impacted by the destruction from Hurricane Helene.” The song’s publishing rights will be distributed through the fund.

Last night’s Lotus concert, which was originally scheduled at the Salvage Station, took place at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater in Wilmington, North Carolina. All proceeds from the concert are being donated to World Central Kitchen.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, who also had Salvage Station concerts canceled, donated proceeds from the livestream of their recent concert at Ting Pavilion in Charlottesville, Virginia to MANNA FoodBank and BeLoved Asheville. Another band affected by an Asheville concert cancellation, Vampire Weekend made donations to local recovery efforts from proceeds of their shows in Wilmington and Raleigh this week.

Several upcoming benefit concerts will also support Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in Western North Carolina. Scroll on for a look at shows whose proceeds will go to organizations helping those affected by the devastating storm.

Concert For Carolina

James Taylor, Billy Strings, Eric Church and Luke Combs top the lineup for “Concert For Carolina,” a benefit concert to be held on Saturday, October 26 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Proceeds from the benefit will be split evenly between Combs and Church’s Chief Cares. Chief Cares will devote its proceeds to helping established charities and organizations that are well managed, organized and can expedite aid directly to the families affected by Hurricane Helene. Combs will donate his portion to Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC and Eblen Charities.

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Sturgill Simpson

Sturgill Simpson announced a second show at Cary, North Carolina’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre on Monday, October 21 to raise funds for disaster relief efforts in the state. Simpson, who was originally scheduled that night in Asheville, will donate all proceeds from the October 21 concert to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.

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Goose

Goose will play a pair of benefit concerts at Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on October 25 and at Birmingham, Alabama’s Avondale Brewing Co. on October 26. The band was originally slated to perform on those dates in Asheville. Goose partnered with Conscious Alliance and local organizations working directly with impacted communities in Western North Carolina to distribute proceeds from the Winston-Salem and Birmingham concerts.

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Ben Folds

Ben Folds and other musicians from Western North Carolina will host the “From Wilmington, With Love” hurricane relief concert on October 29 at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater. 100% of proceeds will go to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.

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Greensky Bluegrass

Greensky Bluegrass will donate proceeds from their November 1 concert at The Underground in Charlotte to the crew at the Salvage Station. GSBG was slated to play the Salvage Station that night.

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the Disco Biscuits

The Disco Biscuits will perform a special benefit concert on November 3 at Terminal West in Atlanta. The band will donate proceeds from the show to Conscious Alliance’s Hurricane Helene relief efforts. Bisco will play their 2011 album, Otherwise Law Abiding Citizens, in its entirety at Terminal West. The band was initially scheduled to play Asheville’s French Broad River Brewery on November 3.

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Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong moved their November 2 show at The Orange Peel in Asheville to The Signal in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A portion of the proceeds from The Signal show will go to BeLoved Asheville.

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Old Crow Medicine Show – Music For The Mountains

Old Crow Medicine Show will perform a special benefit concert at the Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh on Sunday, October 27. “Music For The Mountains” will also feature performances by Chatham County Line and BJ Barham, with more artists expected to be added.

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Unplugged For Appalachia: A Hurricane Relief Benefit

Stephen Wilson Jr., Amanda Shires, Lori McKenna, Travis Denning, Lily Rose, Elvie Shane, Payton Smith, Sam Williams, Evie, Mae Estes, SJ McDonald, and others will come together at Nashville’s Exit/In for “Unplugged For Appalachia: A Hurricane Relief Benefit.” Proceeds from the all-star concert will go to the American Red Cross and the 501c3’s 1st Volunteer Tennessee Rangers who are providing aid as well as search and rescue in disaster zones across Tennessee and Western North Carolina.

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APP AID: A WNC Concert Series

“APP AID: A WNC Concert Series” was organized by PHILM to support recovery efforts in the region. The first two events are set to take place at Bowstring Brewery in Wilmington and in Raleigh. Proceeds from the concert series will go to The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.

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Sonic Sunshine

Toad the Wet Sprocket enlisted an impressive roster of musical friends including Barenaked Ladies, Kurt Vile, Grace Potter, Darius Rucker, Indigo Girls, Steve Poltz and Robert Randolph to join them in performing at “Sonic Sunshine,” a livestream benefit on Friday, October 18 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. While the event is free to watch, donations will be encouraged with 100% of monies raised going to Hurricane Helene relief efforts.

Edwin McCain, Dan Wilson, Sean & Sara Watkins, Allison Russell, Matt Nathanson, Swamp Dogg, Vertical Horizon, John Doe, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Vienna Tang, Califone, BLKBOK, Marc Broussard, Israel Nebeker, Jesse Dayton, Roger Alan Wade, Kevin Russell, Lee Rocker, Waylon Payne, Denitia and Emmanuel Jal & Seth Walker round out the list of “Sonic Sunshine” performers. The event will also host appearances by Willie Nelson, Johnny Knoxville, Tom Cavanagh, Clay Aiken, Melissa Navia, Astronauts Michael López-Alegría, Cady Coleman, Jack Fischer, Garrett Reisman & Mike Massimino, Benj Gershman (O.A.R), with more to be announced.

“Sonic Sunshine” will give all donations to organizations including World Central Kitchen, Direct Relief, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue and Feeding the Carolinas.