Award-winning Musicians Remake "Blue Skies" to Support North Carolina's Economic Development and Hurricane Helene Recovery

Globally recognized artists from bands including MJ Lenderman, Sylvan Esso and Iron & Wine donate talents and money to support storm recovery in their home state.

RALEIGH, N.C., March 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On the 6-month anniversary of Hurricane Helene's landfall, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) released "Blue Skies," the latest video iteration of the "All in North Carolina" campaign designed to increase awareness of North Carolina as the premier state in which to live, work, and do business.

 Although many communities in Western NC are still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Helene, the majority of the state is open for business and eager to attract companies and talent to its 54,000 square miles of innovation, energy, hustle, possibility and more.

"Blue Skies" features a collection of world-renowned musicians with ties to the state showcasing the resilience, resolve, and optimism of North Carolinians. On top of contributing their time and talents, the artists are collectively donating $100,000 to the North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF), helping to directly support the disaster relief efforts for those affected most by the Hurricane in Western North Carolina.

 "This project not only highlights the incredible talent within our state, but it also reflects the generosity and community spirit that sets North Carolina apart," said Christopher Chung, CEO of the EDPNC. "As the Partnership moves into its second decade on its mission to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians, our organization is thrilled to be supported by this incredible musical work."

North Carolina artists featured in "Blue Skies"

All current residents of North Carolina, these artists have achieved notable global success, including winning Grammy nominations, American Music Award nominations, top album rankings, and many other honors throughout their careers:

• Jake Lenderman of MJ Lenderman, a skyrocketing artist whose work made Rolling Stone's Best Albums of 2024; and a native of Asheville, North Carolina is the male lead vocalist.
• Amelia Meath, one-half of the Grammy-nominated electropop duo Sylvan Esso; and a resident of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is the female lead vocalist.
• Sam Beam, better known by his stage name Iron & Wine; and a resident of Durham, North Carolina, provides supporting vocals.
• Jason Ross, the lead singer of Seven Mary Three; and a resident of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, provides supporting vocals.
• Matthew McCaughan, the drummer for Bon Iver and others; and a resident of Durham, North Carolina, plays the drums.
• Brad Cook, who helmed the session and contributed bass and guitars to the recording; and a resident of Durham, North Carolina, produced the video.
• Phil Cook; and a resident of Durham, North Carolina, provided instrumentation.

Performed in a unique arrangement exclusively for this campaign, the song "Blue Skies" was originally written by Irving Berlin and later popularized through performances by Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald. The catchy tune with broad-reaching familiarity was identified as a perfect fit for achieving the project's ambition.

The "Blue Skies" campaign video showcases visuals of the state's vibrant economy at work, demonstrating how business investment, expansion, and tourism all help contribute to the state's vitality. It will begin airing across streaming television, digital platforms and social media channels today, reaching audiences nationwide. New York-based production studio BANG facilitated the creation of the soundtrack for the piece.

According to artist Jason Ross, the project was a natural outflow of the North Carolinian spirit. "I've lived in NC since 2001, so with the instigation of our friends at BANG we hatched a plan to do some good. My first call was to Brad Cook. He is a light and a legend. I had just finished a project with him, and before I knew it, he then called Jake, Sam, Amelia, Phil, and Matt. It was magic. The music community in NC has a rich history supporting one another - and in this case, everyone just leaned in."

Having first launched in 2022, the "All In NC" marketing campaign has been a multifaceted effort to increase awareness of North Carolina as a state in which to live, work, and do business. Created with North Carolina-based marketing and advertising agency, Mythic, the campaign highlights the diversity of the state's geographies, workforce opportunities, and industries such as advanced manufacturing, life sciences, clean energy, and financial services.

You can see a copy of the complete "Blue Skies" video here on YouTube.

About the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina 
The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) is a private nonprofit corporation that serves as North Carolina's statewide economic development organization. Governed by an 18-member board of business and industry leaders from across the state, the EDPNC focuses on business and job recruitment, existing industry support, international trade, tourism and film marketing. The EDPNC, which operates under contract with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, works closely with public- and private-sector partners at the state, regional and local levels. For more information, please visit https://edpnc.com/

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SOURCE Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina