Eric Church Defends Canceling April Concert to Attend 'Once-in-a-Lifetime' UNC-Duke Final Four Game

Eric Church.Photo: Jason Kempin/GettyEric Churchis opening up about his canceled show.During an interview on Friday’s episode of Audacy’sRob + Hollypodcast, the country singer, 44, talked about why he canceled his April 2 show in San Antonio, TX to seea Final Four match in the Men’s NCAA Tournamentbetween Duke and North Carolina taking place on the same night.“The big thing was the Duke game, for me — I hate to say this, I did care,” the singer confessed....

March 16, 2025 · 12 min · 2411 words · Crystal Smith

Eric Church Offers Free Show for Fans After He Canceled Concert to Watch UNC, Duke Basketball Game

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Eric Churchis making amends. Days after Church, 44, announced that he was canceling a tour date so he could instead watcha Final Four match in the Men’s NCAA Tournamentthat is taking place on the same night, the country musician revealed he will be making it up to disappointed fans with a “free” rescheduled show. “Thank you to San Antonio for letting me take my family to this game,” he wrote in anInstagram poston Friday....

March 16, 2025 · 2 min · 355 words · Dawn Garcia

Eric Church Returns to the Stage a Week After Brother's Death for Emotional Tribute: 'I Need This'

Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty ImagesEric Churchwas back on stage on Saturday — a little over a week afterthe death of his brother, Brandon, at age 36.The country singer, 41, took the stage atOhio’s Country Concertin Fort Loramie, where he honored his late brother with an emotional cover of “Amazing Grace” and a stripped-down version of his 2006 hit “Sinners Like Me.”Video of the touching tribute was spread on social media, the crowd going silent as he sang the lyric “me and my brother” in “Sinners Like Me” (a song that, as Taste of Country noted, features references to being “forgiven for multiple sins upon death“)....

March 16, 2025 · 5 min · 920 words · Shawn Ballard

Eric Church Reveals Blood Clot Due to Birth Defect Almost Killed Him: 'I Was Going to Die'

Eric Churchis opening up about a secret health crisis that nearly took his life last summer. The 41-year-old country superstar gavea wide-ranging interview forRolling Stone‘s August cover story— revealing for the first time that he had to undergo emergency surgery for a blood clot in his chest last year. “There’s a major vein that runs through there, and when I would raise my arm, it would pinch it and damage the vein,” Church explained....

March 16, 2025 · 5 min · 900 words · James Gomez

Eric Church Says a Tour with New Music 'Is Coming': We're 'Waiting for the Right Time'

Eric Church.Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Eric Churchis set to hit the road once again! The country star, 43, shared on social media that as soon as it’s safe to tour again, he and his team are preparing for a North American tour. “We’re waiting for the right timing to officially announce all the details but I want you to know that a tour is coming,” he said. “And we are very excited to play new music for our old friends....

March 16, 2025 · 2 min · 252 words · John Taylor

Eric Church Says He Was 'Heartbroken' When Morgan Wallen Said the N-Word: It's 'Indefensible'

Eric Churchis disappointed inMorgan Wallen’s use of a racial slur earlier this year “I was heartbroken when it happened,” he said. “I think Morgan’s trying to work on that and on himself,” Church added, “And I hope he does.” Jason Davis/Getty; Mike Coppola/Getty Immediately after news of Wallen’s use of the racial slur broke, the Academy of Country Music announced that he would not be eligible for awards. His label, Big Loud Records, also issued a statement, saying they “made the decision to suspend Morgan Wallen’s recording contract indefinitely....

March 16, 2025 · 1 min · 188 words · Heather Perez

Eric Church Slams Garth Brooks for Lip-Syncing at CMA Awards: 'I Didn't Like His Excuse at All'

Eric Churchisn’t happy withGarth Brooks’ decision tolip-syncat theCountry Music Association Awardslast year. In awide-ranging interview forRolling Stone’s August cover story, the 41-year-old country superstar opened up about why Brooks’ performance makes him so upset. “To me, lip-synching is and always will be a red line. It’s fabricated. I don’t want young artists thinking it’s OK, because it’s not,” he explained, adding that what made things worse was that Brookspicked up the awardfor entertainer of the year that night — an accolade Church was also nominated for....

March 16, 2025 · 3 min · 431 words · Debra Chambers

Eric Church Was 'Floored' by Jazmine Sullivan's Voice: 'I'm Not Missing a Chance to Sing with Her'

Eric Churchhad vowed to never perform the national anthem … but then came theSuper Bowl. Chatting with Kelleigh Bannen on Apple Music Country’sToday’s Country Radio, the singer revealed the reason why he agreed to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” withJazmine Sullivannext month. (PEOPLE can exclusively premiere the interview.) “I’ve not met her yet. She may be the best singer. I was floored,” the 43-year-old says emphatically. “I’m a fan. I’ve went in and listened to everything she did....

March 16, 2025 · 2 min · 298 words · Derrick Patterson

Eric Church's Brother Brandon Died of Complications from Chronic Alcoholism, Autopsy Says: Report

Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images Brandon Church’s cause of deathhas been revealed. According to the report, Brandon’s substance abuse caused myocardial hypertrophy (an increase in heart mass), coronary heart disease and liver damage (liver steatosis, or fatty liver disease). As TMZ first reported after his death, Brandon suffered multiple seizures the day he died in Granite Falls, North Carolina. Brandon had “a witnessed seizure on the same day according to the family where he came out of it oriented and alert,” the documents reportedly state....

March 16, 2025 · 1 min · 195 words · Jennifer Smith

Eric Church's Brother, Brandon Church, Dies at 36

Eric Church‘s younger brother Brandon died last week, the country music star’s rep confirmed to PEOPLE. He was 36.“It is with great sadness that the Church family confirms that Eric’s brother, Brandon, passed away Friday evening,”they said in a statement. “In lieu of flowers please leave a message for the family and/or make a donation to a Scholarship Memorial Fund created in Brandon’s memory.”As of Tuesday evening, around $21,000 had been raised in Brandon’s honor to theBrandon E....

March 16, 2025 · 2 min · 358 words · Robin Lopez

Eric Church's Rebel Spirit Celebrated in New Museum Exhibit: See the Highlights

Eric Church at Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on July 12, 2023 in Nashville.Photo:Jason Kempin/Getty Jason Kempin/Getty Of course you’ll get to see a pair of his signature Ray-Ban Aviator Mirror sunglasses. But more important, you’ll come away from the newEric Churchexhibit at Nashville’sCountry Music Hall of Fame and Museum, with a strong sense of the artist behind those reflective lenses....

March 16, 2025 · 6 min · 1106 words · Dennis Tanner

Eric Church, Chris Stapleton and Gabby Barrett Lead Nominations List at 2021 CMA Awards

Photo: Jason Davis/Getty; Shannon Finney/Getty; John Shearer/ACMA2020/Getty Country’s biggest night is almost here! Church — the reigning entertainer of the year — and Stapleton, 43, are both up for the same five awards: entertainer male vocalist, album, single and song of the year. With three nods areBrothers Osborne,Kane Brown,Luke Combs,Miranda Lambert,Ashley McBryde,Maren MorrisandChris Young. Getty (5) “This year, we have the opportunity to honor the superstars, new artists and emerging creators who are paving the way for Country Music,” said CMA CEO Sarah Trahern in a press release....

March 16, 2025 · 2 min · 288 words · Erica Hernandez

Eric Church, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Alan Jackson and More Sing for the New Hall of Fame Class

Dean Dillon, Marty Stuart and Hank Williams, Jr.Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty A superstar lineup — including George Strait,Alan Jackson,Kenny ChesneyandEric Church— took the stage in Nashville on Sunday night to usher in the 2020 class of the Country Music Hall of Fame: outlaw legendHank Williams Jr.,master showman-musicianMarty Stuartand classic songwriterDean Dillon. Kenny Chesney.Terry Wyatt/Getty Strait and Chesney both performed for Dillon, who began writing a lengthy string of hits in the 1980s — most notably for Strait, who has recorded more than 60 Dillon songs....

March 16, 2025 · 5 min · 857 words · Dawn Cook