It’s almost here! The 2021 Academy of Country Music Awards are less than a week away and we are losing sleep thinking about who will walk away with the prestigious Entertainer of the Year (EOTY) award. Will it be another tie? Will it be a repeat winner? We’re dying to know!
While the actual winner is voted on by ACM professional membership, we’re here to give our two cents and share why we think each nominee deserves the prize.
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Where do we even begin with Eric Church? While his eyes are often hidden behind his signature Ray Ban sunglasses, he wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to his fans. An artist who isn’t afraid to break boundaries and address uncomfortable topics, he leads his fans, and the rest of the world by example towards unity and mutual respect. It’s no wonder they call him "The Chief."
To the surprise (and dismay) of many Country music fans, Eric has never won the ACM Entertainer of the Year prize. In the past he’s never been one to base his success on winning an award, but after being named CMA Entertainer of the Year in 2020, the nomination strikes a different chord.
WATCH MORE: Who's up for a trophy at the 56th annual ACM Awards
“I know what that award means to the format; I know what that means historically, and I tried to live up to that,” shared Church. “I think with the vaccinations, I think with the touring, I think with the things we’ve tried to do during this [the pandemic], I’ve done more in that regard than I ever would’ve, because I understand the people that came before me, and I understand the people that will come after me. So, that nomination means more to me now than it probably ever has, because we’ve won. I think representing the format that I adore is something that I’m trying to live up to.”
He’s more than lived up to the standard if you ask us. Church has given fans so much to look forward to as they’ve navigated a year filled with uncertainty and frustration.
In January 2021, Church revealed the release of a triple album, “Heart & Soul,” set to release later this month. The album is a product of Eric pushing his creative boundaries further than ever before to give fans the best music possible.
“I felt like it was time to do something just nuts,” he shared about the creative process in an artist interview at Country Radio Seminar in February 2020. “We [his band] went to the mountains of North Carolina. There’s a restaurant there I go to in the Summer. It’s closed in the Winter. We moved all the chairs and furniture out and we moved a studio in. The goal was to write and record 28 songs in 28 days… We removed all of the barriers about what people think… just let it be the most creative for that one day and chase that as hard as you can, [then] move on and go to the next one… For me, it’s as far out there as I’ve gotten.”
In addition to a slew of new music, the Chief recently revealed plans for “The Gather Again Tour,” a full arena tour visiting 55 cities throughout the United States and Canada. The news is music to fans’ ears (literally) as touring has been halted due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Aside from speaking to fans through music, Church isn’t afraid to use his voice to preach what he believes in. He was recently featured on the cover of Billboard Magazine as he received his vaccination against Covid-19. The Chief has made it clear he is willing to do what it takes to get back out on the road to perform in person for fans and to that we say - Mr. Misunderstood, we understand.
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