Eric Church Believes Live Music Has the Power to Bring People Together

Most artists go on tours and perform live to support their latest albums; Eric Church has another reason. For Church, live music isn’t just about the setlist or the stage production. It’s about connection. It’s about thousands of strangers walking into an arena or stadium with different struggles and opinions, but for a few hours, they're connected and in agreement on wanting to enjoy their favorite artist.  

In a recent interview with CBS Mornings to promote his Free the Machine Tour, the 48-year-old country rocker talks about pushing boundaries: “First of all, I think it’s an honor to be anything that you do a long time,” he says. “To be able to do music… it was such a moonshot for me to ever be able to have one successful song or one successful album. I feel like the more successful you are, the more you should push that boundary.”  

He added, “That comes from the artists that I grew up with that had that creative compass. To me, people sometimes when they get successful, they pull back, and they do what made them successful. Because they are making money and they stay there. I think that’s the time that you do push the boundaries.”  

For someone who’s been in the music industry for more than a decade, his willingness to push boundaries and step outside his comfort zone has played a key role in his longevity.  

After headlining numerous tours since 2010 and hitting the road as a supporting act, the Chief has witnessed firsthand the unifying power of live music, something he remains committed to using for good. “I see it every night,” Church shares. “When we go to these cities and play in front of 15,000 and 20,000 people, I know that a majority of those people that are watching me do not agree with the person beside them. But for those three hours, they do. And they are all pulling on the rope the same way.”  

Watch his whole interview below.