At Wednesday night's (November 20) CMA Awards, set to air live on ABC from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, Eric Church is up for Music Event of the Year for his collaboration with Morgan Wallen “Man Made a Bar “.
Church is a CMA Entertainer of the Year winner and a two-time CMA album of the Year winner. But during his performance at the upcoming awards show, the focus won't be on his hit songs or career success. North Carolina's Church is using the broad platform of the awards show to perform his recently released and solo-penned single “Darkest Hour,” with the goal of continuing to bring light to those still affected by the devastation of Hurricane Helen. It was previously revealed that Church's royalties from “Darkest Hour” will be donated to help those affected by Hurricane Helene.
“I think the biggest thing the people of North Carolina need after Helene is awareness,” says Church Bulletin board ahead of the CMA Awards. “Because as a society we tend to move on quite quickly to other things. This is just our nature and these people will need help for a long time. So the more I can shed light on the people there and the need that will be there for a long time to come, the better it will be. And we can help the people there get back on their feet.”
As Category 4 Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on many communities in North Carolina and other states in September, with more than 100 associated with storms in North Carolina alone, Church has pioneered many efforts to help those in need.
He teamed up with other artists including Luke Combs, James Taylor and Billy Strings to headline the 'Concert For Carolina' in October, with the event also welcoming guests including Keith Urban, Scotty McCreery, Parmalee, Sheryl Crow and Chase Rice . Concert For Carolina raised over $24 million to help those affected by Hurricane Helene.
“It was an amazing night,” says Church Bulletin boardreflecting on the fact. “I've done a lot of shows, but I don't know that I've ever felt a show like this. We had a lot of people come in to help – Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow, James Taylor – and it ended up being this redemptive night of revival. But at the same time, we all knew why we were there. We knew there was still a need. So we were there on a mission. The concert was on a mission to feel like we were organizing and arming and we were there to help people in North Carolina. It was a unique feeling for every concert I've ever done.”
In addition, the singer-songwriter's Chief Cares Foundation launched the Blue Print for the Blue Ridge building initiative, pledging to build 100 homes for families in Avery County, North Carolina and surrounding areas whose homes were affected by the hurricane. The Church says Bulletin board that he has visited Avery County several times, surveying the damage and looking at sites for the project.
“In this country, we do very well in 911 – the food, the water, the diapers. We don't do as well in phase two, and that keeps people in the community,” he says. “We're never going to rebuild these communities if you don't keep people there. So we're committed to building a hundred homes in Avery County and giving people a place where they can figure out what's next for them. They can stay in their province, their children can stay in the local schools, they can stay involved in their church. It just gives them a shelter so they can then figure out the next part of their lives. And it's all I've done every day, all day since the hurricane hit.”
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/country/eric-church-cma-awards-darkest-hour-performance-1235834138/
