Eric Church misses the “camaraderie” of live shows: “It’s what I was born to do”

ABCWith the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine, Eric Church feels hopeful that 2021 will be a better year than 2020. 

“I think, for me, the thing I’m looking forward to most next year is getting around the corner from this virus and getting some kind of normalcy. I’m confident that next year is when we’ll finally put this in the rearview at some point in time,” he says. 

“We’re all looking for a vaccine early in the year and the more we can take the cases down between January and May, I think the higher likelihood that we’ll be on a stage somewhere in the fall, late summer/fall, and then certainly into the fourth quarter,” Eric adds. “So, I’m looking forward to that.”

Like many of his peers, Eric has been longing for the stage ever since the pandemic led to the mass shutdown of live concerts and events. The 2020 CMA Entertainer of the Year was playing to audiences of thousands in 2019 and misses the vibrant energy of his fans and live shows. 

“I know there may be some early stuff where we can’t be at capacity. I get that, but I’m looking forward to being back at capacity and being, seeing people grouped up and arms around each other’s shoulders and just, I miss that. I miss playing. I miss the camaraderie. I miss going town-to-town and doing that,” he says.

“It’s just what I was born to do, and I miss seeing the fans. Next year, we’re all hopeful, I’m hopeful and quite confident, actually, that next year will be the year that we get to start doing that and then hopefully more and more as we go,” Eric declares. “That’s what I’m looking forward to.”

By Cillea Houghton
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