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Eric Church on his New Orleans-inspired new album and that polarizing Stagecoach set

BBG News

Eric Church, who moved to Nashville about 25 years ago with aspirations of becoming a successful country musician, has amassed several notable achievements over the years. These include 11 No. 1 hits on country radio, five albums that have achieved platinum status or better, four Country Music Association Awards, and even owning a six-story bar in bustling Broadway, Nashville – affectionately known as Chief’s. You may recall the opening weekend of this bar last year, which was marked by an incident involving Eric Church’s friend Morgan Wallen being arrested for throwing a chair off the roof.

Among his various recent ventures, Church also runs Chief’s, joined forces with Wallen in managing Field & Stream brand, co-owns a line of whiskeys, and holds a minority share in the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. However, this week sees him revisiting music as he releases “Evangeline vs. the Machine,” his first album since 2021 at the age of 48.

Composed by longtime partner Jay Joyce, the track “Evangeline” departs from the rock-heavy tones of previous songs like “Springsteen,” “Give Me Back My Hometown” and “Smoke a Little Smoke,” instead adopting a more ornate, symphonic style that includes strings, horns, and a choir. The track “Johnny” can be seen as a rebuttal to the Charlie Daniels Band’s 1979 hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” On the other hand, “Darkest Hour” provides support to someone in trouble; an idea Church made real last year by pledging royalties from the song to aid victims of Hurricane Helene in his home state of North Carolina.

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The LP concludes with a chilling version of Tom Waits’ “Clap Hands”. This record is a follow-up to Church’s debatable main act performance at the 2024 Stagecoach festival in Indio, where he and over a dozen gospel singers combined his original songs with religious tunes like “Amazing Grace” and “I’ll Fly Away”, as well as less expected covers such as Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” and Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice”. (A man nearby exclaimed, “This is Friday night, not Sunday morning!” after about thirty minutes.) Church, who has a wife and two sons, will be bringing “Evangeline” on tour this fall, including a November 15th stop at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. I spoke with Church from Nashville to discuss his Stagecoach set, the new album, and his interactions with billionaires.

Hey, since you launched Chief’s about a year ago, what have been some of the challenges you’ve faced as a business owner?

S—: Well, quite a few obstacles, I must say. Primarily, it’s been about communicating our unique selling points effectively. You see, we’re not just another bar; we’re a place that focuses on showcasing up-and-coming artists and songwriters. It’s been incredibly successful – arguably the best spot in the area, but we’re not the kind of place where you come to hear “Friends in Low Places” or get drunk. The main struggle is making sure that our customers understand who we are as soon as they walk through the door.

Let’s return to the whole situation involving Morgan Wallen. He phoned me from the street after the incident. At that moment, I was engrossed in college basketball. He said, “Hey, this just transpired.” My response was an immediate, “Oh no.” I sensed it would be loud, and indeed it was – incredibly so. The following day on Fox News, the top story was Morgan tossing a chair, while the second was about Israel and Gaza. However, one simply adapts to such circumstances.

Mo experienced something beneficial, which seemed to be a turning point for him. Since then, he’s been thriving, showing a positive response to this event. In Billy Joe Shaver’s words, “I’m just an old lump of coal, but I’ll become a diamond someday.” He humbly went to Chief and apologized to the staff, shaking everyone’s hand. I felt proud of him for his actions.

As a movie enthusiast, the unexpected arrival of COVID-19 forced a pause on live performances. In this quiet moment, I found myself reflecting, realizing it was time to expand my creative horizons beyond music.

Music

On the third day of the massive country music festival held in Indio, artists including Luke Combs, the Backstreet Boys, Sammy Hagar, and the Goo Goo Dolls took turns performing.

Do you have any ideas for entrepreneurial ventures? Jay-Z has done an impressive job; when I performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl with Jazmine Sullivan [in 2021], I remember thinking, “How does this whole thing operate?” And they replied, “Jay-Z is in charge.” I was taken aback and asked, “What do you mean?” They explained, “Jay-Z manages the entertainment at the Super Bowl.” Well, that’s pretty awesome.

In simpler terms,

J. Cole and I are on the same team, the Hornets. He’s exceptionally talented, like many artists who reach great heights. They gain these chances due to their network of contacts. They make connections at concerts, backstage meetings, and so forth. As for me, I play golf with them. Being in such a position means interacting with top executives, Fortune 500 leaders, and billionaires. So, the question is, how do you utilize these opportunities?

A decade back, could you ever imagine yourself socializing with hip-hop artists and multi-millionaires? [Laughs, implying it was unlikely]

Here are a couple of questions regarding the Stagecoach concert from last year, prior to discussing the new album. It turns out you attended that event as well.

The performance was captivating and well-received, drawing a wide range of opinions. However, from the PBS documentary, it’s clear that moment I started grinning midway through, hinted at its success. And after the show ended, I revisited “Springsteen” without accompaniment in gusty winds at 30 miles per hour, confirming my initial impression – it was excellent. If it hadn’t been good, there would have been issues.

As a movie enthusiast, I had a feeling from the start that this event wasn’t quite tailored for my tastes. I’ve seen Stagecoach performed around five to six times before, and I knew the crowd would be massive – filled with TikTok users eager to snap selfies atop others’ shoulders. Yet, I chose to attend because it offered a powerful platform for maximum exposure and response.

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It seems like the timing of your performance, following Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter,” gave the impression that you wanted to highlight and celebrate the African-American origins of country music in your show. It could also be interpreted as a subtle message or even a defiant gesture, acknowledging the historical exclusion, but not intended for those who left, rather for those who stayed behind.

The next day, I received a text from Lukas Nelson. He was with his surfing companions then. He mentioned that they had arrived from Maui, and he wanted to share that the scene reminded him incredibly of his father. He also shared that they all sang together. Upon hearing this, I assumed that there must have been ample space for them to do so.

To an Eric Church fan who didn’t quite ‘get’ the performance, here’s what I’d like to convey: Unlike many artists who might simply play their hits for extra money and leave, I chose to pour my heart into this festival because I respect it. Instead of just deciding at the last minute to perform, I prepared diligently for a whole month. The show we gave you was unique and unrepeatable. Whether you enjoyed it or not, it was a one-of-a-kind experience that you’ll never witness again.

People often discuss Dylan’s decision to go electric at Newport, but in that moment, it wasn’t a hit for Dylan. He was booed, and even had objects thrown at him. However, looking back, it’s become a significant turning point, don’t you agree? It’s the kind of thing we wish we could have witnessed. In ten years, people will be saying, “I attended that Stagecoach performance, and I stuck around till the end.

Would you do it again?
Oh, hell yeah. Tomorrow.

Review

Leave it to Beyoncé to make history the star of the Cowboy Carter tour

On Monday evening, Beyoncé kicked off her global tour for her award-winning ‘Cowboy Carter’ album in Inglewood, showcasing her humor, grandeur, and a nod to the females who blazed a trail similar to her own, marking history.

I see “Evangeline vs. the Machine” as having a similar vein as Stagecoach, but let me share where it all began. During our Gather Again tour in New Orleans [2022], Trombone Shorty performed with me and we found ourselves in an insightful conversation about brass and string instruments in the music world. Afterwards, he asked me to join him at a show during Jazz Fest. It’s possible that only two Caucasians were on stage that night: myself and Steve Miller.

We’ll perform my track “Cold One” along with “Come Together” by The Beatles. I’ve performed “Cold One” countless times before, but never like that. It was a Black New Orleans band, complete with horns, backup singers, and a violin player who held the instrument on his shoulder rather than under his chin – not your typical Juilliard-trained violinist. The whole setup seemed off for the song, and I’m not sure anyone there even knew it well [laughs]. Yet, we managed to find our place within it all, and it was fantastic. Upon returning home, I found myself thinking: I want to create an album in this same style.

In “Darkest Hour,” your voice seemed unusually exposed and vulnerable, bordering on discomfort. This was because the song was originally pitched three or four keys lower, but you moved it up while being influenced by Jim Ford and Sly & the Family Stone, with Andy Gibb in mind. Your initial insecurity in the studio might have contributed to the raw, authentic emotion conveyed in the performance.

Have you shared that your composition titled “Johnny” was penned following the Covenant School shooting in Nashville in 2023? I’m curious if you believe this song aims to comfort or provoke frustration for its listeners?

Perhaps, it serves both purposes? The most challenging task I have ever faced in my life was leaving my boys at school the day after the tragedy. I remained parked there for an extended period, unsure of what actions to take. Should I stay here as a precautionary measure? Yet, I knew I couldn’t prevent anything from happening. Nevertheless, I wanted to be nearby. For some reason, Charlie Daniels’ music started playing, and it struck me that the devil wasn’t in Georgia — he was present right here in Nashville.

Why did you choose to end the album with a Tom Waits cover instead? With four years off between albums, I wrote numerous songs, many of which have proven themselves to be hits over time. However, some didn’t quite fit with the ambiance and instrumentation we had in mind. While browsing Netflix late at night, “Clap Hands” came on, and it struck me, “Oh, no…”, so I quickly grabbed my guitar, played the riff, and sent it to Jay. He replied, “See you tomorrow morning,” and that’s how we recorded it the next day.

These days, I mostly consume edibles instead of smoking weed. Edibles can be quite intriguing since the effects can vary based on factors like surroundings, so you always need to pay attention to the situation.

In another scenario, if I find myself surrounded by friends like Willie Nelson, Toby Keith (who has since passed away), Robert Earl Keen, and Lance Armstrong in a lively atmosphere, I’d definitely say, “Alright — I’ll do this again.” This is because the experience of sharing a joint with such an exceptional group of people was so enjoyable that I wouldn’t mind repeating it.

Last year, I performed tribute concerts in L.A., paying homage to both Jimmy Buffett and Robbie Robertson. These two individuals hold significant importance in my life. Since we shared the same stage at a California club, I had ample opportunities to bond with Jimmy.

In some of these performances, you’ll find yourself resembling a one-man-band kind of act on stage. Interestingly enough, behind the scenes everyone is just the same. Let me share an amusing incident that happened at the Jimmy show. I was standing backstage with my wife, watching the Eagles perform. Just before Paul McCartney was set to appear, a man approached us and said, “When Paul comes out, just move against the wall because Paul likes to have a clear path.” No big deal – it was Paul McCartney after all. So I moved against the wall and Paul walked by. He was watching the Eagles, and we made eye contact. I felt quite awkward [laughs] at that moment. Then he came up to me and said, “Eric.” To which I responded, “Yes?” He continued, “Jimmy and I used to play tennis together, and he had a lot of respect for you. Would you like to join me in singing ‘Hey Jude’?

Initially, I assumed he was going to ask me to step aside and make some space, but surprisingly, he invited me to join him in singing ‘Hey Jude.’ Needless to say, I gleefully accepted his offer. So, there I was, along with Brandi Carlile and a few others, serenading Paul McCartney. It’s moments like that when you wonder, “Am I really here?

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2025-05-02 22:01

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