Eric Church Talks Performing ‘Darkest Hour’ at Upcoming CMA Awards, Aiding Those Impacted By Hurricane Helene

At Wednesday night’s (Nov. 20) CMA Awards, slated to air live on ABC from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Eric Church is nominated for musical event of the year for his Morgan Wallen collaboration “Man Made a Bar.”

Church is a CMA entertainer of the year winner and two-time CMA album of the year winner. But during his performance at the upcoming awards show, the focus won’t be about hit songs or career success. North Carolina native Church is using the awards show’s wide-reaching platform to perform his recent release, and solo-written, “Darkest Hour,” with the aim of continuing to shine a light on those who continue to be impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Helene. It was previously revealed that Church’s publishing royalties from “Darkest Hour” will go to aid those who impacted by Hurricane Helene.

“I think the biggest thing that the people of North Carolina need after Helene is awareness,” Church tells Billboard ahead of the CMA Awards. “Because as a society we tend to move on pretty quickly to other things. That’s just our nature and these people are going to need help for a long time. So the more that I can shine a light on the people there and the need that is going to still be there for a long time, the better off it it will be. And we can help the people there get back on their feet.”

Since the category four Hurricane Helene wrought destruction in numerous communities in North Carolina and other states in September, with more than 100 storm-related fatalities in North Carolina alone, Church has been a leader in spearheading several efforts to help those in need.

He teamed with fellow artists including Luke Combs, James Taylor and Billy Strings to lead 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 impacted Hurricane Helene.

“It was an amazing night,” Church tells Billboard, reflecting on the event. “I’ve done a lot of shows, but I don’t know that I’ve ever felt a show like that. We had a lot of people come help — Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow, James Taylor — and it just ended up being this redemptive revival night. But at the same time, we all knew why we were there. We knew that there was still a need. So we were there on a mission. The concert had a mission feel to it that we were organizing and weaponizing and we were there to help the people in North Carolina. It was a unique feel for any concert I’ve ever done.”

Additionally, the singer-songwriter’s Chief Cares Foundation launched the building initiative Blue Print for the Blue Ridge, pledging to build 100 homes for families in Avery County, North Carolina and surrounding areas whose homes were impacted by the hurricane. Church tells Billboard that he’s visited Avery County multiple times, surveying the damage and looking at sites for the project.

“In this country, we do pretty well at the 911 — the food, the water, the diapers. We don’t do as well at phase two, and that’s keeping people in the community,” he says. “We will never rebuild these communities if you don’t keep the people there. So we’ve committed to putting a hundred homes in Avery County and to give people a place that they can figure out what’s next for them. They can stay in their county, their kids can stay in the local schools, they can stay involved in their church. It just gives ’em a shelter that they can then figure out the next part of their life. And it’s all I’ve been doing every day, all day since the hurricane happened.”