Eric ChurchLaunched into StardomBy Michelle Morgan

Kenneth Eric ChurchMay 3, 1977North Carolina

Musical Beginnings

• Began to love music at an early age• Began singing at 3 years old• Started writing music at 13 years old• Taught himself how to play guitar

School Years• Played sports in high school• Attended Appalachian State University• Majored in marketing• Rediscovered his love for music

The Mountain Boys• During college Church formed a band• His brother, roommate, and a guitarist• Rough start• Broadened his musical horizon• Became regional act• Church add originals to set• 1999 The Mountain Boys Live at the Blues

Room

Going to Nashville

• Wanted to leave college• Made a deal with his

father• Graduated in December

2000• Moved in January 2001

Start the Music

• Young and stupid• Six months after moving, got a

“regular” job• First publishing deal six months later• Terri Clark, The World Needs a Drink• Jay Joyce• Record deal with Capitol Records

Albums

• Produced by Capitol Records• Sinners Like Me• Carolina• Chief• Caught in the Act, live

Sinners Like Me

• Released in 2006• Debut single, How ‘Bout You• Top 20 before album release• Raw, relatable lyrics• Tight instrumentations

Carolina• Released in 2009• More contemporary• Two Top Ten singles• “Love Your Love the Most”• “Hell on the Heart”• “Smoke a Little Smoke”,

certified gold• Country Music Awards

Chief

• Released in 2011• Superstardom• Number 1 on the Billboard

top 200• “Drink in My Hand”• “Springsteen” • Album of the year

Caught in the Act

• Released in 2013• Only live album as soloist• Tivoli Theatre, Chattanooga

Tennessee

Influential music• Truthful lyrics• People can relate to the lyrics• Influences from Bluegrass to Motown• Hank Williams Jr• Merle Haggard• Waylon Jennings

A closer look at the music

• Wrote by himself• You Make it Look So Easy• Carolina• Lightning

You Make it Look So Easy

• Written for his wedding • First performance January

8, 2008• Very honest lyrics

You Make it Look So Easy• Soft simple texture• Violins play the harmony and

melody• Guitar plays a softer rhythm

In a glance

Sounds like:

 

• 0:00 The intro is played by violins in minor key, in a simple meter

• 1:07 Chorus; a crescendo occurs, changing the dynamic of the song. The guitar plays the rhythm the violins pick up the melody. This leads to a very intense, powerful texture.

• 2:10-2:17 the harmony is played with minor chords by the violins

• 3:00 The tempo of the music begins t slow down. The lyrics are repeated from the first verse, to reiterate their importance.

Carolina

• Title track of second album• About home state, North

Carolina• Lyrics about his life there• Portrays the feeling of being

homesick

CarolinaIn a glance

• Begins as simple and easy• Increases to up-tempo,

complex texture• Bass plays rhythm, in

sixteenthsSounds Like:• 0:01 No intro. It begins with the bass playing the rhythm, and guitar playing the melody. The vocals begin at the same time. The song has a strong, outdoors, manly feel.

• 0:43 Chorus The guitar, and lyrics contain a crescendo followed by a diminuendo. A snare drum plays a triple on the second beat of the bar.

• 2:16 The cymbals and snare drum play a crescendo into the chorus. The snare drum

switches to playing a triple on the second beat of the bar. The bass plays in sixteenths. Cymbals change the increase the dynamic.

Carolina, Sounds like continued……

• 2:58 guitar solo in major key

• 3:09 Repeat chorus. The bass plays in sixteenths, harmonic chords are played by the piano. The dynamic is not as intense as in the previous choruses

• 3:36 The bass continues to play sixteenths, while the piano plays the

melody. The cymbals add a strong feel while playing on the second beat of every bar.

• 4:21 Outro begins. All instruments fade expect the bass playing the rhythm and what sounds like a chord on the violin.

Lightning• Wrote shortly after moving to

Nashville• Inspiration came from “The Green

Mile”• Death row story• Depicts prisoner's sadness and

remorse• Lead to record deal• Debut album, Sinner’s Like Me

LightningIn a glance

• Emotional texture• Guitar rhythm with piano

melody• Texture allows you to feel the

emotion Sounds Like:

• 0:00 The intro is in minor key. It has a sobering texture. The intro is played using a simple meter

• 0:32 Church starts vocals. The guitar begins to play the rhythm. The piano is faintly playing the melody. The song is now played in a triple meter

• 1:14 Chorus; bass takes over the melody, guitar and drums to play the rhythm.

• 2:02 second verse begins. The drums and guitar play the rhythm. The melody is played by the piano.

Lightning, Sounds like

Continued…..• 4:00 The vocals pause, as to imitate the death of the

prisoner. The piano ascends softly to nothing

• 4:50 The outro begins. The drums slowly stop, as do the piano. The lyrics slowly fade

• 5:02-5:14 Electric Keyboard finishes the outro, presenting an eerie feeling

Works Cited• Bauman, Sue. Eric Church - Carolina. 7 June 2013

<http:/countrymusic.about.com/od/cdreviewsal/fr/Carolina.htm>.• —. Eric Church - Sinners Like Me. 7 June 2013

<http://countrymusic.about.com/od/cdreviewsal/fr/sinnerslikeme.htm>.

• CMT news. CMT news: Church Marries. 15 January 2008. 7 June 2013 <http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1579702/eric-church-marries-in-north-carolina.jhtml>.

• Eric Church. Carolina-Eric Church. 15 June 2013 <http://ericchurch.com/music/carolina>.

• —. Sinners Like Me - Eric CHurch. 15 June 2013 <http://ericchurch.com/music/sinners-me>.

• Fabian, Shelly. Eric Church Biograpghy. 7 June 2013 <http:countrymusic.about.com/od/ericchurch/p/EricChurch_pr.htm>.

• Hump Head Country. Eric Church - Carolina Album. 7 June 2013 <http://www.humpheadcountry.com/Eric_Church_44/Carolina_68.html>.

• Jam Base. Eric Church, Bio, History, Info. 7 June 2013 <http://www.jambase.com/Artists/40323/Eric-Church/Bio>.

Works Cited• Let's Sing it. Eric Church Biography. 27 Sept 2011. 2013 June

2013 <http://artists.letssingit.com/eric-church-3wpzd/biography>.

• Metro Lyrics. 2011 Academy of Country Music. 2 April 2011. 19 June 2013 <http://www.metrolyrics.com/2011-academy-of-country-music-awards.html >.

• Morris, Edward. CMT News. 2 August 2006. 7 June 2013 <http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1537741/eric-church-turns-heads-with-sinners-like-me.jhtml>

• MSN Entertaiment. 7 June 2013 <http://social.entertainment.msn.com/music/blogs/one- >.

• Ruhlnamm, William. Eric Church Music Biography. 7 June 2013 <http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eric-church-mn0000632233>.