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Suggest pagesEric Church
| Eric Church | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Kenneth Eric Church |
| Born | May 3, 1977 |
| Origin | Granite Falls, North Carolina, United States |
| Genres | Country, Southern rock |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Labels | Capitol Records Nashville, EMI Nashville |
| Associated acts | Terri Clark, Jay Joyce |
| Website | www.ericchurch.com |
Kenneth Eric Church (born May 3, 1977) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Signed to Capitol Records in 2006, his debut album Sinners Like Me produced four singles on the Billboard country chart, including the Top 20 hits "How 'Bout You", "Two Pink Lines", and "Guys Like Me". His second album, 2009's Carolina, produced three more singles: "Smoke a Little Smoke" and his first Top 10 hits, "Love Your Love the Most" and "Hell on the Heart". 2011's Chief, his first #1 album, includes the singles "Homeboy" and "Drink in My Hand", which became his first #1 single in January 2012.
Eric Church was born and raised in Granite Falls, North Carolina. At thirteen, he bought a guitar and began writing songs of his own. By his senior year of high school, he had found a gig at a local bar, which occupied most of his time. He played many Jimmy Buffett cover songs and a few of his own original songs in some unpleasant places. Some of these places were so rough that he got into a few altercations from the stage. For a few years, the band played often in bars and restaurants throughout North Carolina.[1] The band "Mountain Boys" consisted of his college roommate, brother, and a fellow guitarist.[2]
Before moving to Nashville, Eric Church graduated from South Caldwell High School and Appalachian State University with a degree in marketing. He became engaged to a woman, her father attempting to persuade him into a corporate career. He just about gave up on music, but instead left his fiancé and headed to Nashville. His father paid for his first six months in Nashville; this financial cushion gave him time to make contacts.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Music career
[edit] 2006-2007: Sinners Like Me
Arthur Buenahora Jr. signed him to a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Tree Music Publishing. Terri Clark took "The World Needs a Drink", which he co-wrote with Casey Beathard, into the country Top 30.[2]
He started recording with different producers. Capitol Nashville showed an interest and watched him perform but they were yet to be convinced enough to offer a recording contract.[3] Autumn House-Tallant told HitQuarters that they didn't think the music was interesting enough.[3] The record company's attitude changed after he started working with producer Jay Joyce. The strong sound and direction the two forged together finally convinced Capitol Nashville that he was ready.[3] His first single, "How 'Bout You" peaked at #14 on Hot Country Songs and led off his debut album Sinners Like Me. In April 2006, he performed on the Grand Ole Opry for the first time.[4]
The album's other two singles, "Two Pink Lines" and "Guys Like Me", both reached the Top 20 as well.[2] The fourth single, the title track, peaked at #51. An additional track from the album, "Lightning", was made into a music video despite not being released as a single. Church wrote the song shortly after moving to Nashville, inspired by the movie The Green Mile.[4] Following the album's success, Church toured with Brad Paisley and Rascal Flatts.[4]
[edit] 2008-2010: Carolina
In 2008, Eric Church released a fifth single, "His Kind of Money (My Kind of Love)" to country radio. It debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at #55 in early 2008, and reached its peak of #46 in August. Originally slated as the lead single to an upcoming second album, "His Kind of Money" was instead included as a bonus track on albums sold at Best Buy.
Following this song was "Love Your Love the Most", which debuted in late 2008 and was the first single from his second album Carolina, released on March 24, 2009.[2] As with his debut album, Carolina was produced by Jay Joyce, and is entirely composed of songs that he co-wrote. "Love Your Love the Most" brought Church to the top 10 for the first time, peaking at #10 in September 2009. The album's second single, "Hell on the Heart", debuted in October 2009 and would also hit the top 10 in May 2010. The third single from "Carolina" was "Smoke A Little Smoke".
In June 2010 he moved to Capitol Nashville's new imprint EMI Records Nashville, becoming their second artist. On January 14, 2011, he released a four song EP entitled "Caldwell County".
[edit] 2011: Chief
Eric Church released "Homeboy" to country radio in early 2011. The album Chief was released July 26, 2011, debuting at #1 on both Top Country Albums and the Billboard 200. [5] The album sold 145,000 copies in its first week.[5] On November 30, 2011, Chief was announced as a nominee for the 2012 Grammy Awards for Best Country Album. In January 2012 "Drink in My Hand" became his first #1 single.
[edit] Personal life
He married music publisher Katherine Blasingame on Jan. 8, 2008 in Blowing Rock, NC. On Oct. 3, 2011 they welcomed son Boone McCoy Church.http://celebritybabies.people.com/2011/10/06/eric-church-welcomes-son-boone-mccoy/[6] Their home (along with Eric's "mancave"), located in Nashville, was featured in an episode of CMT "Cribs".[7]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [8] |
US [9] |
CAN [10] |
|||
| Sinners Like Me |
|
7 | 29 | — | |
| Carolina |
|
4 | 17 | — | |
| Chief |
|
1 | 1 | 7 |
|
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
[edit] Extended plays
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [13] |
US [13] |
||
| Caldwell County |
|
13 | 67 |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [14] |
US [15] |
CAN [16] |
||||
| 2006 | "How 'Bout You" | 14 | 85 | — | Sinners Like Me | |
| "Two Pink Lines" | 19 | — | — | |||
| 2007 | "Guys Like Me" | 17 | 99 | — | ||
| "Sinners Like Me" | 51 | — | — | |||
| 2008 | "His Kind of Money (My Kind of Love)" | 46 | — | — | Non-album song | |
| 2009 | "Love Your Love the Most" | 10 | 63 | — |
|
Carolina |
| "Hell on the Heart" | 10 | 67 | — | |||
| 2010 | "Smoke a Little Smoke" | 16 | 78 | — |
|
|
| 2011 | "Homeboy" | 13 | 53 | — |
|
Chief |
| "Drink in My Hand" | 1 | 40 | 52 | |||
| 2012 | "Springsteen"A | |||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||
- ATo be released.
[edit] Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | "How 'Bout You" | Scott Speer |
| "Two Pink Lines" | Peter Zavadil | |
| 2007 | "Guys Like Me" | Scott Speer |
| "Lightning" | David McClister | |
| 2009 | "Love Your Love the Most" | Adam Hall |
| 2010 | "Hell on the Heart" | |
| "Ain't Killed Me Yet" | ||
| "Smoke a Little Smoke" | Peter Zavadil | |
| 2011 | "Homeboy" | |
| "Drink in My Hand" |
[edit] Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Top New Solo Vocalist | Won |
| Top New Artist | Nominated |
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Eric Church: Recession-era country star (interview; CD: 'Carolina').". http://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mah&AN=MAH0001798342&site=ehost-live. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
- ^ a b c d Ruhlmann, William. "Eric Church biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p816669/biography. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- ^ a b c "Interview with Autumn House-Tallant". HitQuarters. 3 Oct 2011. http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview/opar/intrview_AutumnH.html. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- ^ a b c Morris, Edward (2006-08-02). "Church Turns Heads With Sinners Like Me". CMT. http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1537741/eric-church-turns-heads-with-sinners-like-me.jhtml. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
- ^ a b "Eric Church Lands First No. 1 Album, Amy Winehouse Climbs Into Top 5". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/news/eric-church-lands-first-no-1-album-amy-winehouse-1005301602.story. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
- ^ TheBoot.com: Eric Church and wife expecting a baby
- ^ "Eric Church Marries in North Carolina". CMT News. January 15, 2008. http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1579702/eric-church-marries-in-north-carolina.jhtml. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
- ^ "Eric Church Album & Song Chart History - Country Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/eric-church/chart-history/765794?f=320&g=Albums. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- ^ "Eric Church Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/eric-church/chart-history/765794?f=305&g=Albums. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- ^ "Eric Church Album & Song Chart History - Canadian Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/eric-church/chart-history/765794?f=309&g=Albums. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
- ^ "American album certifications – Eric Church – Carolina". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Carolina%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
- ^ "American album certifications – Eric Church – Chief". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Chief%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
- ^ a b "Eric Church : Allmusic : Billboard Albums". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eric-church-p816669/charts-awards. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- ^ "Eric Church Album & Song Chart History - Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/eric-church/chart-history/765794?f=357&g=Singles. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- ^ "Eric Church Album & Song Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/eric-church/chart-history/765794. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- ^ "Eric Church Album & Song Chart History - Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/eric-church/chart-history/765794?f=793&g=Singles. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
- ^ "American single certifications – Eric Church – Love Your Love the Most". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Love+Your+Love+the+Most%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ^ "American single certifications – Eric Church – Smoke a Little Smoke". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Smoke+a+Little+Smoke%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ^ "American single certifications – Eric Church – Homeboy". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Homeboy%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
[edit] External links
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