Country star Eric Church will perform at the Show Me Center Jan. 20

Country music sensation Eric Church has had nothing short of a stellar year as he continued to gain accolades and a broader fan base with the release of his third studio album, "Chief." Just over 10 weeks after its release, the album was already RIAA-certified gold and the first single "Homeboy" reached Top 15 on the charts.

Church will prove why he's so popular when his Blood, Sweat and Beers tour stops for a concert at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Show Me Center, with special guests Brantley Gilbert and the Cadillac Black. Less than 100 tickets remained Thursday afternoon. Josh Hanlonm the center's marketing director, said the concert was the second highest gross revenue event in the Show Me Center's history.

Church started writing songs at age 13. Shortly after, he started teaching himself how to play guitar.

"I have to say that Kris Kristofferson was like my Johnny Cash," Church said. "I had never heard or felt lyrics that touched me so much. I loved the musicality of it."

Growing up in Granite Falls, N.C., Church was surrounded by various genres of music.

"Country music at that time was still a pretty traditional genre, and we played a lot of Hank Williams and George Jones," Church said. "The area I grew up in was really influenced by rock and roll elements, so bands like AC/DC and Metallica were also huge inspirations to me."

While studying marketing at Appalachian State University, Church also started the band Mountain Boys and played often at venues around Western North Carolina. After graduating, he moved to Nashville, Tenn., to pursue a career in music. After being there a year, he met producer Jay Joyce and started recording demos.

"I owe it all to the song 'Lightning,'" Church said. "That's what basically got me a record deal."

In the song, Church sings as a man sentenced to the electric chair for shooting a cashier. The movie "The Green Mile" inspired him. In one scene, Tom Hanks' character Paul Edgecombe says "You know, it's been 80-some years since I let John Coffey ride the lightning."

"I just thought it was a very interesting way of looking at the electric chair," Church said.

"Lightning" was one of many highlights of Church's 2006 debut album "Sinners Like Me." The album also produced three Top 20 singles, "How 'Bout You," "Two Pink Lines" and "Guys Like Me."

"Some of the best songs I feel I've done have come from that first album," Church said. "They were coming from my life and my memories and a lot of those ideas carried over to the second album.

"When I close my eyes and think of the song 'Springsteen,' it takes me back to when I was a kid again. I was that guy having a relationship with a girl for the first time sitting on a blanket."

Church's second album, "Carolina," included singles "Love Your Love the Most," and "Smoke a Little Smoke." As the second song gained more and more momentum, Church also found himself in the spotlight of the country music scene by the way of his powerhouse live performances.

He said his trademark sunglasses on stage developed naturally.

"When I started playing at bars and nightclubs back in the day I always wore contacts. Because of the lighting I would always have problems with them. Either one would pop out or they both would," he said. "Finally, someone suggested that I wear sunglasses. I did and it sort of stuck."

From the sunglasses and stage persona, came his nickname and title for his third album -- Chief.

"It sort of settled into a mood," he said. "Chief mode is where I transform from the normal Eric into the Eric I need to be on stage. It's a focus moment also. When I put the hat and sunglasses on it means that it's time for the show."

On the road, Church also has a mancave but slightly different from the one seen in his home during an episode of "CMT Cribs."

"It's a cabin in the mountains. There's no phone service or satellite television. It's just a bunch of musicians making music. That's where I wrote 'Chief' at," Church said.

The Blood, Sweat and Beers Tour has more than 50 dates throughout the U.S. For tickets to the Cape Girardeau show, visit showmecenter.biz or the Show Me Center box office on Sprigg Street.

Pertinent address:

1333 N. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau MO 63701