Why Michigan Has a Special Place in Eric Church’s Heart

Eric Church is a proud North Carolina native, no doubt about it. But if you look a little closer at things around him like his music, his bar, and even what he chose to showcase in the Country Music Hall of Fame you may notice a subtle truth:

Eric Church low-key wishes he was from Michigan.

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Let’s start with his loud and proud love of Detroit’s own Bob Seger. Eric Church has never been shy about his admiration for the Detroit legend. In fact, he’s such a fan that Bob Seger is immortalized as one of the stained-glass saints on the from of his bar on Broadway in Nashville, Chief’s.

He doubled down during a recent CRS (Country Radio Seminar) conversation with Jelly Roll, he even talked about Seger’s influence, referencing him with the kind of reverence usually reserved for, well, actual saints.

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Then there’s his already documented love of Grand Rapids’ own Van Andel Arena. When Church’s exhibit opened at the Country Music Hall of Fame last year, he didn’t just highlight awards or guitars. He also included three posters from his sold-out shows at the ACM nominated venue. Out of all the concerts he’s done across the country, he chose those Michigan dates to hang on the wall, so that’s another sign, right?

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And most recently you’ll find his love of the mitten state by ust hitting play on his latest track, “Hands on the Time.” The first lyric is:

Detroit built brakes so that they could make a chevy slow down
And a just right midnight sorry might turn goodbye around

That’s not just a passing mention. It’s the kind of opening line that sets a tone. It says something about what that city and this state means to him.

So sure, Eric Church may technically live in Tennessee and rarely visit us these days. But it’s pretty clear Michigan has made its mark on the country singer. Whether it’s Bob Seger’s spirit, a special connection to Grand Rapids, or lyrical love for Detroit, Eric Church has woven the mitten into his story. He may not own a cabin up north in the UP (yet), but the love is real.