Contents
Background
Eric Church was born in Granite Falls, North Carolina and began pursuing music at an early age, playing with a band, The Mountain Boys, while attending high school. Following his graduation from an undergraduate program, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee and continued to co-write songs for musical performers including Terri Clark and Dean Miller. Later, Church worked with music producer Jay Joyce and signed with Sony Publishing as well as Capitol Records. He began to play professionally by the 2010s. 2
In January 2008, Church married Katherine Blasingame, a music publisher with whom he would later co-found Chief Cares. 2
Activities
Following Hurricane Helene in 2024, which affected Avery County in western North Carolina, Eric Church co-organized the “Concert for Carolina” benefit with country singer Luke Combs and featuring performers including Sheryl Crow and James Taylor at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The concert was attended by over 80,000 people and raised over $24.5 million, half of which was allotted to Chief Cares, a nonprofit based in North Carolina co-founded by Church and his wife Katherine. 3 1
However, according to reporting from Whiskey Riff, before the money could be sent to Chief Cares, it was initially received and held by the Tepper Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, until Chief Cares, which was originally founded in 2013, could be established as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Charlotte Observer later reported that the money was transferred to the organization “through” Anschutz Entertainment Group. 4 5 6
According to reporting from Time, Church purchased $850,000 worth of land in Avery County for developing homes for new residents. As of October 2025, the website of Chief Cares describes the new housing project, named “Blue Haven,” as the organization’s first neighborhood in its larger housing initiative, and claims that the homes will be offered both mortgage- and rent-free to “community pillars,” whom the organization describes as educators, healthcare workers, first responders, and “others who selflessly serve” the surrounding region in North Carolina. The organization also claims that after a ten-year period, residents will receive deeds to said properties and “may” also provide residents with financial coaching, access to health resources, career support, and continuing education. 7 1
Other Philanthropy
According to reporting from Time magazine, prior to Chief Cares, Erich Church and his wife Katherine donated “millions of dollars in grants” to “underprivileged families and children” as well as donations of “clothing” to an “orphanage in Nepal.” The article continues by explaining Church had donated all royalties from his musical single, “Darkest Hour,” to people “impacted by [Hurricane] Helene.” 1
Advocacy
In a 2018 interview with Rolling Stone, Eric Church describes himself as a supporter of the Second Amendment but also voiced his support for left-of-center policy goals such as limiting the number of firearms and rounds of ammunition an individual is legally allowed to possess. Church has also opposed the activities of the National Rifle Association (NRA), arguing the organization was the reason gun control polices have not been passed as quickly. 8
In a 2025 interview, also with Rolling Stone, Church defended the right of Bruce Springsteen to criticize President Donald Trump and argued against the “independent” label, claiming that few Americans believe entirely in either the Democratic or Republican parties’ platforms. 9