About Eric Church

Eric Church still an Outsider (Updated 5/1/2014)

Playing in front of some the largest crowds of his career, Eric Church has continued carving his own path to success by "testing some stuff out."

If you haven't noticed by now, Church doesn't want to be like everyone else in Nashville. That's why "The Ousiders," the follow-up album to 2011's platinum breakthrough "Chief," covers more ground, -- both musically and lyrically -- then anything else coming out of Music City these days. The end result pretty much breaks the more 'accepted' rules of country music, but that's just fine with Church, because the fans are eating it up regardless of whether the industry is willing to embrace his more rebellious spirit.

What Church is seeking these days isn't acceptance, at least not from the suits of record labels and radio stations. He's seeking to give the fans a show in every sense of the word – one that has peaks and valleys and sets a mood like the one that left his audience transfixed at the recent Stagecoach Festival (where Church played to a capacity crowd of 75,000). From the opener, "That's Damn Rock & Roll" to the closer "Springsteen," Church mixed old and new material through a headlining set that will be reminiscent of what fans will hear during his other stops on the "Outsiders" tour this year.

Church will kick off his The Outsiders World Tour on September 11 in Louisiana. He'll visit other venues including Madison Square Garden, Quicken Loans Arena, Wells Fargo Center, the Spring Center and more. The trek will ultimately hit 31 venues, with Dwight Yoakam, the Brothers Osborne, Brandy Clark and rock band Halestorm joining for select dates.

'Springsteen' puts country star on the map (Updated December 18, 2012)

Jason Aldean did it with "Johnny Cash." Taylor Swift launched her career with "Tim McGraw." And Eric Church is another shining example of what can go right when you name-check a well-known artist in a song title. The smash hit "Springsteen" not only put him on the map in 2012, it moved him from dive bars and restaurants to packed arenas inside of a five-year window.

On the heels of a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Tree Music Publishing, Church signed with the Capitol Nashville label in 2006. His debut album, "Sinners Like Me," bowed that summer and eventually produced four singles on the Billboard Country Chart, including the Top 20 hits "How 'Bout You," "Two Pink Lines" and "Guys Like Me."

Church's 2009 album, "Carolina" served as a launching pad to his coming success. Behind the strength of Top 10 hits "Love Your Love the Most" and "Hell on the Heart, "it was a precursor to 2011's "Chief," which would become Church's very first No. 1 album. The first two singles were "Homeboy" and "Drink in My Hand," which became his first No. 1 single. But it was "Springsteen" that opened the eyes and ears of critics and music fans around the world to Church's brand of outlaw country/southern rock.

The Academy of Country Music (ACM) recognized Church as its Top New Solo Vocalist in 2011. He also won the ACM Song of the Year Award in 2012, the Country Music Association (CMA) Album of the Year for "Chief" and has been nominated for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance at the 55th Grammy Awards.

Church will join Kenny Chesney's 'No Shoes Nation' stadium tour in 2013.