One of the most critically-lauded and commercially-successful country stars of
the twenty-first century, Eric Church was born on May 3, 1977, in Granite Falls,
North Carolina, where he grew up listening to traditional crooners like Hank
Williams as well as hard-edged rock acts like AC/DC. This musical contrast
helped inspire his own country-rock hybrid, which he introduced with 2006's
Sinners Like Me and its run of Top 20 singles, including the platinum-selling
"Guys Like Me." His outlaw image, macho swagger, and reputation for raucous
concerts led to gigs with Metallica, which h...