NO MISUNDERSTANDING: ERIC CHURCH EARNS LEADING 5 ACM AWARDS NOMINATIONS

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (Feb. 1, 2016) – Eric Church continues his run as one of country music's most lauded performers with a leading five nominations for the 51st annual ACM Awards, including top honor Entertainer of the Year.

It’s the second time in six months the EMI Records Nashville recording artist has taken the leading nominations total at a major awards after earning five for the 2015 CMA Awards in November. Church also is up for Album of the Year for Mr. Misunderstood, Male Vocalist of the Year, Video of the Year for his surprise album’s title track and Musical Event of the Year for “Raise ‘Em Up” with Keith Urban at the April 3 CBS broadcast from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. 

This is Church’s first nomination for the Academy of Country Music’s prestigious Entertainer of the Year Award, given to the all-around performer who also best represents the genre in areas such as fan engagement and philanthropy. He has now earned Album of the Year nominations in consecutive years after The Outsiders received a nod in 2015. His album CHIEF won the award in 2013.  

The nominations bring his career ACMs nomination total to 19 - with three broadcast wins and the Jim Reeves International Award – and further cements Church’s reputation. From his always original The Outsiders World Tour to the surprise-turned-event launch for Mr. Misunderstood - given four stars by Rolling Stone noting Church's “well-observed writing and warm, generous wit” - Church received praise in 2015 from critics and, of course, his fans. 

"Our greatest working rock star" (Stereogum) has remained relatively reclusive since surprise releasing Mr. Misunderstood in November 2015 in an effort to keep the focus on the music and its message, so no response from Church to the nominations will be provided. 

For more information about Eric Church, visit www.EricChurch.com or follow him on Twitter at @EricChurch.

About Eric Church
The two-time Country Music Association and four-time Academy of Country Music Award winner cemented his reputation as a maverick by releasing his 2015 album Mr. Misunderstood as a surprise, delivering it to fans before announcing its existence and putting it on sale. The North Carolina native received a huge response from fans who made Church 2014’s top-selling country music artist with the year’s highest debut and sales of any release in the format as the critical and commercial success The Outsiders reached Platinum status. Debuting at No. 1 on both the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and Top Country Albums chart, The Outsiders garnered GRAMMY, CMA and ACM Album of the Year nominations and featured his No.1 hits “Give Me Back My Hometown” and “Talladega” as well as multiple nominee “Like A Wrecking Ball.” The Outsiders is the follow-up to Church’s Platinum-certified CHIEF, named the 2012 Album of the Year by both CMA and ACM, and GRAMMY-nominated for Best Country Album. The LP featured five Top 20 singles: “Homeboy” (certified Platinum for sales in excess of 1 million); the Top 10 “Like Jesus Does” and the Top 5 “Creepin’” (both certified Gold for sales in excess of 500,000); and two No. 1 hits “Drink in My Hand” (certified Platinum) and “Springsteen” (certified Double Platinum for sales in excess of 2 million singles). Church’s 2006 debut album, Sinners Like Me and his sophomore album Carolina (2009) are both RIAA Gold certified.

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