Kenansville native performs at Concert for Carolina

Life has been a bit of a whirlwind lately for Wesley Holmes. After Hurricane Helene devastated parts of western North Carolina he and his buddy JD Williamson penned a song called “Helene.” The song quickly “gained traction” on TikTok and YouTube, with many people sharing the song on social media. Last Wednesday, the Kenansville native, also known as country music artist Wesko, got a call from superstar Luke Combs. Three days later, Wesko took the stage in front of a crowd of more than 82,000 people at the Concert for Carolina in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

The event raised more than $24 million for hurricane relief, and was a chance for the Duplin County musician to perform with some of his country music idols.

Wesko was in Swannanoa in western NC, surveying some of the damage and working with a relief organization called Savage Freedoms when he got the call from Combs. “Luke had seen the videos of ‘Helene’ and he asked me to play at the concert,” Wesko recalled. “He said he had seen the song so many times.”

Wesko had a day to return home to Kenansville and prepare for the biggest performance of his life. He even missed his first cousin’s wedding so that he could travel to Charlotte and play with some of the biggest stars in country music.

“It was a touch-and-go ordeal,” he said. “I met Luke and he was honestly the most genuine person I have met in the music business. It was really neat to be around a lot of my heroes, like Luke, Eric Church and Randy Travis. It was nice and a little bit overwhelming to be rubbing elbows with some of them.”

He said it was also overwhelming for his heroes to have heard his song “Helene” and to praise him for writing it. “It was overwhelming in the best way possible,” he added.

Nerves did play a factor as he took the stage during the concert, but nervousness wasn’t as big of a factor as he thought.

“Going out onstage honestly the thing I was most focused on was not crying,” he said. “Especially with the stuff I’d just seen in Swannanoa, and the nature of the song. It’s probably the most meaningful thing I’ve ever done.”

As for performing in front of 82,000 people — and the millions who were live-streaming the event at home — Wesko said he’s glad he got to experience it. “I don’t know if I will ever get to experience it again,” he said. “They told me I wouldn’t be able to see past the first few rows with all the lights and everything, but once I got out there, I could see everybody.”

Instead of letting the nerves take over, Wesko said he “leaned into the nervousness.”

“I think it was the best thing possible to lean into the moment and embrace it,” he added.

Most of his family were unable to attend the show, due to his cousin’s wedding, but Wesko said his dad and uncle and his co-songwriter were there with him. “And at least half the county was watching it on livestream,” he said. “I’m just so grateful to have been able to take part in that event and to help raise $24 million.”

So, what’s next after playing for such a huge crowd? Wesko isn’t sure what will come next, other than a benefit concert in Avery County on Nov. 15, which is also raising money for hurricane victims.

“I’m just taking it as it comes,” he said. “And I’m grateful to have experienced it all.”

He pointed out that the reason he was at the Concert for Carolina — his song “Helene” — is available to stream and download online. “I’m donating 50% of the profits to western North Carolina,” he said.

To learn more about Wesko, or to listen to “Helene,” visit wesko.komi.io.