Re-Live Eric Church’s Memorable CMA Fest Performances
This marks the country star’s first CMA Fest appearance since 2019.
Eric Church; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Eric Church returned to the CMA Fest stage for the first time since his epic 30-minute “Mistress Named Music” medley in 2019 for a performance fans won’t soon forget.
The country superstar served up unique renditions of “Smoke A Little Smoke” and “Bad Mother Trucker” during the CMA Fest special on ABC.
Church was joined by a horn section and his performances were nothing short of memorable as they showcased a side of the country star fans haven’t seen before. The reworked versions of the tunes resonated with many fans, but some were quite disappointed in the revamped songs.
Following his performance at the iconic Nashville festival, Church received backlash and outraged fans took to social media to express that his CMA Fest set didn’t include several of his signature hits (including “Springsteen”), and many of the songs featured a whole new arrangement.
The unexpected changes Church made to his set sparked a conversation amongst the fans and a wave of disappointment on social media.
“Eric Church ended a very weird set and disappointed 50,000 fans. I don’t know if he was pissed off at the CMA or what. Lights come on only 4 songs in and it’s done. Major disappointment at the CMAs,” one fan wrote on Twitter, while another added, “A lot of disappointed and confused people tonight with @ericchurch but going back and watching the video it definitely looks like he just finished the set and said goodnight… about 8 minutes early #cmafest.”
Addressing The Criticism
Now, in a new interview with Rolling Stone, the country superstar is addressing the situation, admitting that he was “shocked” at the criticism he received.
“I was shocked because I played the show that I went out there to play,” Church said. “We had a time slot and I went out there to play that slot and try to show a little bit, a peek, as to what I was working on for this tour. I’m not going to [reveal] everything, but I’m going to give a little peek of what this could be.”
He went on to explain his intentions and clarify certain production elements that were out of his control, including when the stadium lights suddenly turned on at the end of his set when fans thought he was going to return for an encore. However, Church did not return to the CMA Fest stage as he completed his allotted 30 minute time slot.
“There were a couple of production things that I was not responsible for — when the lights went up, that wasn’t me. But for what I went to do, it was fast and hard. And the shows are that way,” Church continued.
A Sneak Peek Into New Material
While Eric Church didn’t go too much into detail, he did acknowledge that his CMA Fest set was to give fans a sneak peek of his new material and offer a sample of what fans can expect from The Outsiders Tour, including the new musical arrangement for many of his songs.
“All the songs are different. All the songs were changed. It was punchy. I didn’t play ‘Springsteen,’ because I have a new version of ‘Springsteen.’ You’ve got to come to a show and see it,” Church added.
The Outsiders Tour
Church is currently in the midst of his headlining trek, dubbed The Outsiders Tour, which kicked off on June 22 at American Family Insurance Amphitheater in Milwaukee, WI.
Eric Church’s The Outsiders Revival Tour will visit 26 cities across the U.S. and Canada.
Produced by Live Nation, the highly anticipated tour features a number of special guests on various dates, including Whiskey Myers, Cody Jinks, Jelly Roll, Ashley McBryde, Koe Wetzel, Lainey Wilson, Midland, Parker McCollum, Travis Tritt, Elle King and Paul Cauthen, plus Jackson Dean, Morgan Wade, Muscadine Bloodline, Shane Smith & The Saints, Hailey Whitters, Ray Wylie Hubbard and The Red Clay Straws.
The three-hour CMA Fest special was hosted by Dierks Bentley, Elle King, and Lainey Wilson and aired on ABC on Wednesday, July 19.
Dubbed “the music event of summer,” the special featured 30+ performances and surprise collaborations from some of Country music’s hottest stars, including Alabama, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Leon Bridges, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Vince Gill, HARDY, Tyler Hubbard, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Avril Lavigne, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker, Tanya Tucker, Keith Urban, and Lainey Wilson.
CMA Fest marked its 50th Anniversary with a record-breaking celebration in Nashville, June 8 through June 11.
The four-day event hosted an estimated daily attendance of over 90,000, a 12% increase from 2022, according to the Country Music Association. Additionally, the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium saw 10% growth from 2022.
The festival also hosted fans from all 50 states as well as a record-breaking 51 countries.
“What a weekend! As we’ve spent the past year reflecting on this milestone celebration, one theme has persisted—the incredible connection between Country Music fans and the artists,” Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, shared in a statement. “It’s magical because it still matters after all these years. From first-timers to legends, so many artists started as fans—some as far back as Fan Fair. Almost every artist who performs during the festival has had their own experience as a fan, so for many of them, taking the stage at CMA Fest is a full-circle moment. We only get the chance to celebrate our 50th anniversary once, and to do so in such an impactful way has meant the world to us. Thank you, Country Music!”
More than 300 acts took part in CMA Fest this year, including performances at the Chevy Riverfront Stage, Dr Pepper Amp Stage, Chevy Vibes Stage, Maui Jim Reverb Stage and the Hard Rock Stage as well at Fan Fair X inside Music City Center.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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