Eric Church Releases New Album Amid Business Ventures

NASHVILLE, TN — Country music star Eric Church returns with his latest album, “Evangeline vs. the Machine,” his first since 2021. The Grammy-winning artist, who moved to Nashville nearly 25 years ago, counts 11 No. 1 hits and numerous awards among his achievements.

Church, who turns 48 this week, has been busy beyond music, opening the Nashville bar Chief’s and investing in various businesses, including a whiskey line and a minority stake in the NBA‘s Charlotte Hornets. “I think just managing the messaging of why we’re different than other places has been a challenge,” Church said of Chief’s; he aims to differentiate it from typical raucous country bars by promoting songwriter shows.

Incorporating a rich, orchestral sound, the new album is produced by longtime collaborator Jay Joyce. Songs like “Johnny,” responding to “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” tackle complex themes, while “Darkest Hour” reflects Church’s charitable intentions set during disasters like Hurricane Helene.

Reflecting on his recent performance at the Stagecoach festival, where he blended his songs with gospel and classic covers, Church said he chose that approach to honor country music’s roots, despite its polarizing reception. “This is probably not the place for this show,” he admitted, noting that he wanted to create something memorable.

Church’s willingness to blend genres and promote new artists reflects his vision for evolving country music, inspired by conversations with artists including Trombone Shorty. “I want to record this way,” he emphasized. He plans to take “Evangeline” on tour this fall, kicking off with a show at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome on November 15.