Eric Church photo by Jim Wright, courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Eric Church released his debut album, Sinners Like Me, in 2006 to nearly unanimous critical praise. The disc launched three singles into country music’s Top 20, but Eric wasn’t quite able to find his way into the Top 10.

That changed late last year when Eric reached that hallowed chart ground with “Love Your Love The Most.” The song is a ballad, unlike many of Eric’s rough-around-the-edges tracks, but it’s still just a bit left of center. And he figures it’s a testament to staying with the artistic program.

“I’m proud more than anything else that we never changed what we did,” he told The Wisconsin State Journal. “There are a lot of guys, if they don’t get a Top 10, they try something else. And when that doesn’t work, they try something else. We stayed pretty consistent, playing our kind of music and our kind of shows. I don’t think I could have done it the other way. I wouldn’t have been happy.”

Eric’s concerts get pretty loud and raucous, but there’s a connection in his sound to the honky-tonk and outlaw years of country’s past. He’s bending that history as he continues the lineage, but he insists on making his career about the music — and not about maintaining a public platform.

“I have a huge reverence for country music,” he said. “I still have albums and still play my old albums. I have no problem with somebody coming in and making a great album. If they come in and don’t make a great record and are just trying to extend their 15 minutes of fame, I got a problem with that.”

Eric and some of his fellow roughnecks will be part of the inaugural Country Throwdown Tour (sponsored by GAC), a multi-artist concert package launching May 14 in Tampa. Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Jack Ingram, the Eli Young Band and Ryan Bingham are among the other acts on the bill.

Eric is currently back in the Top 20 with his latest single, “Hell On The Heart.” He’s also the featured guest on GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown on Friday.

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