Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images

Eric Church performed a musical biography in a living room-like setting at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. He sat on a seat, played guitar, and told his story through 19 well-chosen songs.

A sizable 1960s television set on the stage’s back narrated Church’s musical phases using audio and video clips from his media coverage.

Church played “How ‘Bout You,” his 2006 debut song, with his guitars and drummer above his left shoulder. He also surprised everyone with Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill performing his emotive signature ballad, “Go Rest High on That Mountain.”

Church spoke during his final song in an 85-minute set, calling the residency “the greatest honour of my life.” “Everything you saw tonight is who we are,” he told the audience, “and that, unbelievably, is how we got in this room.” Church devoted his performances to the education-funding museum. The two concerts coincided with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s “Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul,” which is on display until June 2024.