CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) – Another North Carolina country star is taking action to help in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

Eric Church, a native of Granite Falls, Caldwell County, releases a new song titled “Darkest hour.” Instead of retaining the publishing rights, however, he is giving them away to the residents of North Carolina.

“I give this song to the people of North Carolina. I sign the release,” the singer said in one Video posted on social media. “It won’t be mine anymore. It will belong to the people of the state of North Carolina.”

The proceeds will help the state recover from Helene, which claimed more than 200 lives in the southeast.

“I spend half my year in the mountains of North Carolina,” Church said in the video. “It is a refuge for me. It is a place where I have always said my soul rests. Hurricane Helene came along and devastated it… there are places that biblically just disappeared.”

He said the decision to give away the rights to the song was partly to “do more.” He said he had already taken “organizational measures” to send supplies to the western part of the state.

“I was in the studio working on a project for next year,” he said. “And I had a song that I had just finished and it just fit the moment… I felt helpless. I was trying to figure out what we could do, how we could help.”

In “Darkest Hour,” Church sings about “I’ll Come Running” and “I’ll Light Your Way” when times get tough.

“Darkest Hour” is streaming now Apple Music, Spotify and other listening platforms.

Helene also caused destruction in parts of East Tennessee. Country singer Morgan Wallen, a native of the Volunteer State, Donated $500,000 to relief measures. Luke Combs from North Carolina is also doing his part and has “something very special” planned.

Related: North Carolina native Luke Combs is planning “something very special” to help after Helene

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