CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Luke Combs, Eric Church, James Taylor, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow and more are gearing up for the highly anticipated Concert for Carolina on Saturday, an event that will raise funds for relief for the Carolina region in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Helene.
During Saturday’s press conference ahead of the concert, Combs and Church spoke with reporters about their personal ties to the area, explained how they managed to organize the benefit concert within three weeks and shared the heartwarming story of how they were able to secure the legendary James Taylor to perform.
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Luke Combs, James Taylor and Eric Church are among stars who will perform at Concert for Carolina on Saturday. (Getty Images)
“I have an inside story with the artists that are on this show,” said Church. “We both kind of went through our phones and tried to figure out who we could get to, and I was like, ‘I have to get James Taylor.’ Like I just, I have to hear ‘Carolina in my Mind’ in this stadium. So I made it my mission, and I’m pretty sure after talking to James last night, I think I stalked him.”
“For a period of a week or two, and I had to go, I couldn’t get his cell number, so I kept going through my phone to find who would know James Taylor,” he recalled. “I had a friend of mine, Joe Walsh, who’s in the Eagles, and I called him. Like, ‘I need you to get a hold of James Taylor.’ And Joe didn’t hit me back, so I hit him again, and then I hit him again. And finally, James told me last night on stage. He said, ‘You know, you really kind of freaked out Joe Walsh!’”
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Eric Church explained how he was able to secure James Taylor for the Concert for Carolina benefit concert. (Getty Images)
“[Joe] finally called [James] and said, ‘You got to talk to this guy, and you need to play this show, so he’ll leave me alone.’ So at least for tonight, you know, it was about both of us kind of calling who we could call and who would help.”
Combs said that while their efforts at getting Taylor went on for “the better part of a week,” they had “no doubt” he would come through.
“We talked on the phone a lot. I remember him saying ‘We’re so close to getting James Taylor.’ This went on for the better part of a week. I had no doubt in my mind that he would get it done,” said Combs.
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Luke Combs shared his personal experience with Taylor ahead of the concert. (Getty Images)
“Somebody reached out to me and said ‘James would like to get in touch with you,'” he recalled. “They said ’Just text him before you call him.’ I said, ‘What am I going to say and add to his life any way?’ I sent him this really long text thanking him for being here and how excited I was to hear him play and what a fan I was. He texted me back and was like, ‘Yeah, man, I’m really excited to be at the show.’ He said, ‘Your bass player and keys player are going to play in my band.’”
“I ran to those guys last night and texted them and said, ‘You guys are playing with James Taylor. You couldn’t tell me?’ And they were like, ‘How did you find out?’ And I was like, ‘From James Taylor!’ Eric told me he called Joe Walsh and . . . .
“Joe Walsh wouldn’t share the number with me,” said Church.
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“But James reached out via email to my bass player and my keys player, and I was like ‘You guys are more important to James Taylor than the Eagles are. That’s pretty sharp!'”
Luke Combs, Eric Church, David Tepper and his wife, Nicole Tepper – owners of the Carolina Panthers – and Governor Roy Cooper spoke at a press conference on Saturday. (Fox News Digital)
“The biggest thing I think for Luke and I, the most important part, is that we continue to shine a light on this,” said Church, referencing the aftermath of Helene. “This concert is a great way to do it, but these people are going to need help long after tonight and long after next month and long after six months. So, it’s about how we can continue to put this up front to make people be aware of what has happened there and how we help the people there.”
Hosted by ESPN’s Marty Smith and Barstool Sports’ Caleb Pressley, the benefit show — presented by Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority — will take place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday.
After David Tepper and his wife, Nicole Tepper, owners of the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte FC and Bank of America Stadium, first heard a fundraising concert was being organized, they quickly offered up the stadium as a venue.
“When Luke first approached us with the idea for a concert benefitting relief efforts in the region, we felt compelled to open the doors of Bank of America Stadium for this special moment,” Nicole said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. “Every day, we are more inspired by the strength and resolve of our Carolina community, and we are grateful to join Luke, Eric, and our fellow Carolinians as we embark on the road to recovery together.”
Luke Combs, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow and Keith Urban will all perform at the concert. (Getty Images)
The couple previously announced a $3 million donation through the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation.
All proceeds will be split equally and distributed to Combs’ and Church’s organizations of their choosing in support of relief efforts across the Carolinas and the Southeast, according to a press release.
Combs’ portion will be distributed among Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC.
Church’s Chief Cares is focused on helping established charities and organizations that are well managed, organized and can expedite aid directly to the families affected by Hurricane Helene.
Amid the devastation, other stars such as Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert, Morgan Wallen and more have also done their part in contributing to the relief.
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Fox News Digital’s Emily Trainham and Janelle Ash contributed to this post.