Eric Church was born in Granite Falls, North Carolina on May 3, 1977. He bought his first guitar when he was 13 and soon began writing songs. He performed regularly at a local bar during his senior year in high school, then attended Appalachian State University where he played local bars with his band, the Mountain Boys.
Eric Church’s breakthrough album was Chief, released in July, 2011, which debuted at number one on both the Billboard Country and Top 200 charts. His first number one single, “Drink in My Hand,” was on that album as well as “Springsteen,” which reached number one on the Country chart and was a top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
During his career, Eric Church has received a number of awards; in 2011 he received “Top New Solo Vocalist” from the Academy of Country Music, and Album of the Year for Chief from the Country Music Association. He was nominated for 3 Grammys for Best Country Album, Male Vocalist and Song of the Year for “Springsteen.” In 2012 he won the American Country Award for “Song of the Year” for “Springsteen,” and an Academy of Country Music Award for “Vocal Event of the Year” for his recording of “The Only Way I Know” with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan.