Joanna Cotten Leaves Eric Church’s Band, Reveals Plans For What’s Next: ‘What a Run We Had’
Powerhouse vocalist Joanna Cotten has made the decision to leave Eric Church’s band. On Sunday evening (July 31), Cotten took…
Joanna Cotten, Eric Church; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Powerhouse vocalist Joanna Cotten has made the decision to leave Eric Church’s band.
On Sunday evening (July 31), Cotten took to social media to reveal that she will not be returning to the road with Church.
“Hello, friends and fans. I want to let you all know that I made the decision to take some time off after the Gather Again tour to focus on writing some new songs and have a time of rest and recovery,” Cotten wrote.
She went on to explain that she initially had plans to rejoin the tour after taking a break from the road, however, her plan did not pan out.
“It was my intention to return, but God has other plans. I want you all to know that your energy carried me through so many shows with Eric. What a run we had,” she wrote. “I am so grateful for the stages I sang on with him and the people I met along the way. I am very much looking forward to new solo music and ventures on the horizon. I love you guys and I’ll see you out there on the road before you know it!”
For nearly a decade, Joanna Cotten has contributed her soaring vocals to Church’s live show and some of his recorded music.
Cotten began to appear prominently in 2013 when Church released the live music video for “Over When It’s Over.”
In 2017, Church introduced a national audience to Cotten when she joined him on stage to perform “Chattanooga Lucy” at the 51st annual CMA Awards, marking her first awards show performance with alongside the North Carolina native.
Cotten, who was born in Memphis and raised in Arkansas, is an artist in her own right. According to The Boot, she attended Juilliard Conservatory in New York City but ultimately left to pursue her music in Nashville.
Cotten was previously signed to Warner Bros. and had over 20 songs recorded for a debut project, however, that was never released. She left the label in 2007 after her single “The Prize” failed to surpass the 60th position on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Her website describes her music as “Funkabilly music,” which is “her own special blend of blues, funk, and country genres unlike anything else around.”
Fans can keep up with Joanna Cotten by following her on Instagram and Facebook.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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