What is Eric Church's Net Worth?
Eric Church is an American country music singer-songwriter who has a net worth of $40 million. Eric Church's popular songs include "Guys Like Me," "Hell on the Heart," "Springsteen," "Cold One," and "Record Year." He has often collaborated with such fellow country music artists as Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, and Jeff Hyde. Church has received numerous Grammy Award nominations, and has won multiple ACM and CMA Awards.
Early Life and Education
Erich Church was born as Kenneth Eric Church on May 3, 1977 in Granite Falls, North Carolina to Rita and Ken. His father was the president of the furniture upholstery company Clayton Marcus. When he was 13, Church purchased a guitar and started writing songs. By his senior year at South Caldwell High School, he had landed a gig at a local bar. For his higher education, Church attended Appalachian State University, from which he graduated with a marketing degree. He subsequently became engaged to a Spanish teacher, whose father disapproved of Church's music career goals. The engagement was consequently broken, and Church moved to Nashville, Tennessee with money from his father.
Music Career
Church entered the professional country music industry in 2005 when he co-wrote Terri Clark's single "The World Needs a Drink" and Dean Miller's track "Whiskey Wings." He eventually signed with Capitol Nashville and released his debut album, "Sinners Like Me," in 2006. The album was supported by the singles "How 'Bout You," "Two Pink Lines," "Guys Like Me," and the title track. Following the success of the album, Church toured with Brad Paisley and Rascal Flatts. In early 2009, he released his second album, "Carolina," which featured his first top-ten hits on the Hot Country Songs chart: "Love Your Love the Most" and "Hell on the Heart." With his third album, 2011's "Chief," Church scored his first number one on both the Billboard 200 and the Top Country Albums chart. Moreover, the album spawned his first number-one hits on the Hot Country Songs chart: "Drink in My Hand" and "Springsteen." At the CMA and ACM Awards, "Chief" won Album of the Year. Following that success, Church collaborated with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan on the song "The Only Way I Know," from Aldean's album "Night Train."
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Church released his fourth album, "The Outsiders," in early 2014; it was supported by the successful singles "Give Me Back My Hometown," "Cold One," "Talladega," "Like a Wrecking Ball," and the title track. In early 2015, Church released the single "Raise 'Em Up," a duet with Keith Urban that reached number one on the Country Airplay chart. Later that year, he surprise-released his fifth album, "Mr. Misunderstood." Featuring such singles as "Record Year" and the title track, the album won the CMA Award for Album of the Year. Church went on to release his sixth album, "Desperate Man," in 2018; it peaked at number one on the Top Country Albums chart. His next album was "Heart & Soul," a triple-album set released in segments throughout April 2021. It was preceded by the singles "Stick That in Your Country Song" and "Hell of a View." Church went on his Gather Again Tour in support of the album from 2021 to 2022. He followed that with the Outsiders Revival Tour in 2023.
Charlotte Hornets Investment
In June of 2023, Michael Jordan reached a deal to sell a majority share of the Charlotte Hornets to a group of investors led by hedge fund manager Gabe Plotkin at a $3 billion valuation. Among the minority investors in the new ownership group were Eric, J. Cole. The size of Eric and J. Cole's minority stakes are not known. In order to own 1% at a $3 billion valuation, the each would have needed to chip in $30 million.
Style and Influences
Church's musical style has been labeled as country rock, southern rock, and outlaw country. His visual signatures are his aviator sunglasses and Von Dutch denim trucker hat. Church has cited such musical influences as Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, the Grateful Dead, Hank Williams Jr., and the Band. He has also mentioned being influenced by heavy metal bands, including Metallica.
Personal Life
In early 2008, Church married music publisher Katherine Blasingame. Together, they have two sons named Boone and Tennessee. The family resides in Nashville. In 2013, the Churches launched the Chief Cares Fund, a non-profit foundation that helps underprivileged families in the southeastern United States and abroad. The foundation also assists in funding Humane Society no-kill animal shelters. In late 2022, North Carolina governor Roy Cooper awarded Church the North Carolina Award, the highest civilian honor in the state.
Over the years, Church has become a major advocate for marijuana use, as displayed in such songs of his as "Smoke a Little Smoke," "The Joint," and "I'm Gettin' Stoned." At the 49th ACM Awards, Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton called Church the Willie Nelson of the new country generation, and even compared his dressing room to a marijuana dispensary.
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