Eric Church has always been unapologetically true to himself- whether that be in writing music, recording in the studio, or performing on stage.
The “Springsteen” singer is known for his lack of conformity to the norms of country music. He often strays away from what a mainstream crowd may want to see or hear, catering more to what he finds most interesting as an artist.
His fearless approach has lead to him developing one of the most dedicated fan bases in the genre, but, at times, has also led to backlash from the public.
In an interview with Esquire back in September, he spoke on his pursuit of authenticity:
“We built a career based on people trusting the brand, the authenticity, whatever… I thought we could take that trust out for a walk and see what it can do.”
While many fans do indeed “trust” Church with his unconventional style, occasionally it can be received rather negatively.
During his CMA Fest performance last June, Church went a different direction than expected, leading to some backlash from members of the crowd. During his seven-song set, he played a mix of deep cuts and a “funky” reinvented version of “Drink In My Hand,” all featuring a trombone-heavy, funk/blues style.
Many CMA Fest atendees took to social media, voicing their dissatisfaction in Church’s headlining set, calling it a “major disappointment.” Church responded to the backlash:
“Looking back on it. I had a slot. This isn’t my show—I’m playing with seven other artists. And I didn’t play ‘Springsteen,’ I didn’t play a bunch of stuff that they probably thought I would play. But it was good!”
“I don’t care what the blowback was. I watched it, and that set was f***ing great.”
It’s very understandable that people would want to hear some of Church’s greatest hits at the show, like anyone does when seeing an artist with a discography as beloved as his. That being said, Eric Church simply likes to shake things up. He added:
“The last time I played the damn thing, I went out acoustic and played an entire medley that they never could air because I didn’t have any breaks in it. And basically, they told me not to come back again, ever. I was like, I tried to give you something special.”
His prior performance at the festival was full of hits, yet for commercial purposes, it couldn’t be showed to a wider audience. He continues sarcastically:
“I was kind of invited not to come back—and they had me back this time, and I guess I blew it again!”
Evidently Eric Church and CMA Fest have a bit of a toxic relationship.
There’s no doubt Church was genuinely trying to give the audience something memorable- it’s in his DNA as a performer. It just simply fell flat for some who were most likely expecting to hear a collection of No. 1 hits such as “Springsteen,” “Record Year” or “Hell Of A View.”
It will be interesting to see if Chief is ever invited back to the festival, furthermore if he’d even accept the invitation.
Here’s a look at a his performance of “Bad Mother Trucker,” a piece of his emotive headlining set: