Eric Church and Luke Combs share their thoughts on Concert for Carolina while accepting the CRS 2025 Artist Humanitarian Award.
By Website Content Manager
“This was the right thing to do,” Combs stated.
When Eric Church and Luke Combs joined forces for Concert For Carolina to aid Hurricane Helene relief efforts, their motivation wasn’t fame, headlines, or recognition—it was simply the right thing to do. So when the Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) named them co-recipients of the CRS 2025 Artist Humanitarian Award, they found themselves unsure how to react.
“I feel incredibly uncomfortable receiving an award like this,” Church admitted on Friday (Feb. 21) while standing alongside fellow North Carolina native Luke Combs at Country Radio Seminar (CRS) to accept the honor.
“A mentor once told me that you should never focus on what you get from doing the right thing—you should just do it,” he continued. “And in this case, it was simply the right thing to do.”
The duo achieved the extraordinary with Concert For Carolina, organizing a massive stadium benefit show in just a few weeks. An event of this scale—drawing 82,000 attendees—would typically take a year to plan. However, their dedication turned it into a remarkable success, raising over $24 million for those affected by Hurricane Helene.
During their CRS acceptance speech, Combs reflected on the moment they began planning the concert, emphasizing that despite the challenges of organizing it on such short notice, there was never any doubt about moving forward with the event.
“This was the right thing to do… Eric and I are both from the region of North Carolina that was hit the hardest. That morning, we were on the phone planning the show, and there was never a moment where we questioned whether we would do it,” Combs shared.
He went on to admit that this experience would ultimately be a defining moment in his career.
“It will be a moment that I’ll never forget,” Combs promised, his voice filled with emotion.
Church credited Combs for reaching out with the idea to organize the concert and admitted that, out of all the performances in his career, Concert For Carolina would always stand out as one of the most unforgettable.
“I’ve played a lot of shows in my career, but that night in Charlotte is at the top of the list for me,” he shared. “It was the artists who gave their time and creativity, the incredible lineup, the challenges we overcame, and the way the crowd responded—it all made it truly special.”
When selecting this year’s recipient for the CRS 2025 Artist Humanitarian Award, the board made an easy and unanimous decision.
“Eric Church and Luke Combs’ love for their home state has been truly inspiring,” said CRB Awards Committee Chair Beverlee Brannigan. “Their dedication to North Carolina’s recovery after Hurricane Helene and their continued efforts demonstrate just how much they care. This award is a sincere acknowledgment of their commitment, hard work, and genuine compassion for the people of North Carolina. Eric and Luke, we are honored to recognize you.”
First established in 1990, the CRS Artist Humanitarian Award celebrates country artists whose philanthropic efforts have made a meaningful impact. Past honorees include Kane Brown, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, and more.