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.
Watch Eric Church’s CMA Fest Performances Below
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.
Church’s CMA Fest Set Sparked Outrage On Social Media
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.”
Responds To The Backlash He Received
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.
Acknowledged New Musical Arrangement Of His Songs
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.
Eric Church’s The Outsiders Revival Tour
Church is currently in the midst of his headlining trek, dubbed The Outsiders Revival 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.
RELATED: See Photos Of Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Elle King, Tim McGraw And More Backstage At 2023 CMA Fest
CMA Fest 2023
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.
50th Anniversary of CMA Fest
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 as Fan Fair X inside Music City Center.
