CRS 2025 Unveils Humanitarian Award Honorees

Eric Church and Luke Combs have been announced as co-recipients of the CRS 2025 Artist Humanitarian Award.

The honor will be presented on Friday, Feb. 21 during the annual Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, and recognizes the unparalleled efforts of Church and Combs, who raised over $24 million in under a month, driven by an Oct. 26 stadium concert in Charlotte that drew a record-breaking 82,000 fans. This massive event, which typically requires over a year of planning, was remarkably mobilized by their collective teams in just 28 days.

Church, through his nonprofit Chief Cares, announced plans to build 100 homes for hurricane victims, starting in Avery County, providing critical shelter to families affected by the devastating storms while also committing to helping address longer-term needs like creating jobs, rebuilding schools and supporting local businesses. In addition, he signed over all publishing royalties from his latest single, “Darkest Hour,” to the people of North Carolina.

Meanwhile, Combs and his team are working directly with North Carolina-based relief efforts to ensure funds are distributed where they are needed most. Their contributions support organizations including Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina.

CRS Honors Mark ''Hawkeye'' Louis with Humanitarian Award

Mark "Hawkeye" Louis, the morning host from Cumulus Media's KSCS in Dallas, is set to be honored with the Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award at the Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2025. This award celebrates figures in Country radio who demonstrate exceptional public service and humanitarianism.

For over two decades, Hawkeye has been deeply involved in charitable endeavors, particularly with Cook Children's Hospital. Since 2002, he has contributed as a camp counselor at Camp Sanguinity for cancer patients and served on its board from 2004 to 2006. Under his leadership, the first radiothon launched by KSCS in 2014 has raised nearly $4.5 million, with over $1 million raised in 2023 alone.

In a remarkable personal gesture last year, Hawkeye auctioned his extensive collection of over 17,000 baseball cards, raising more than $10,000 for the hospital. His commitment extends beyond healthcare, supporting various causes including veteran initiatives like the annual 10,000 For The Troops program, which garnered over 152,000 handmade cards in 2023, and Pets For Vets, which raised $20,000 to train service dogs for disabled veterans.