North Carolina native and country music superstar Eric Church cancelled an upcoming concert disappointing 20,000 people, and I think he is completely justified in his decision.

Church announced via Ticketmaster that he was cancelling his upcoming concert on Saturday night in favor of attending the UNC – Duke Final Four game with his family in New Orleans, candidly telling his fans that it would be the “most selfish thing” he would ever asked of them. The next stop on The Gather Again Tour that kicked off in September 2021, Eric was scheduled to play in San Antonio Texas at 8:00 PM.

The feedback so far has been less than kind.

Eric Church grew up in Granite Falls, North Carolina, and has been a fan of all things Tar Heels for over four decades. While he is a proud graduate of Appalachian State, he’s frequently been spotted in the Dean Dome enjoying a basketball game and on the sidelines of UNC Football games — able to go fairly unnoticed when he ditches his signature sunglasses. Thanks to a friendship with Mack Brown, Church’s ballad “Carolina” now plays throughout Kenan Stadium before the fourth quarter begins.

Before going any further, I’ll confirm what you have probably already figured out: I’m a huge Eric Church fan. I attended my 18th & 19th show on this tour, and I can admit that the idea of either of them getting cancelled less than a week prior is disappointing to say the least. I have Eric Church records, t-shirts, posters, a custom painted jacket for concerts, even tattoos of lyrics or memorable experiences. I’m also a three decade Chapel Hill kid who deeply loves this town and this team. Not enough similarities for you? I even graduated from Appalachian State, too.

Needless to say, even if it’s self-appointed: I’m uniquely qualified to defend Eric Church on the decision to cancel a concert to go watch this particular basketball game with his family. The greatest rivals in sports, UNC and Duke, have never played in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. That alone makes this “once in a lifetime.” But sprinkle in that you have one coach retiring from his historic career, the other in his first year leading the program he previously played for, this is a completely unprecedented event — not just for fans of these teams, but college basketball fans everywhere.

In case you aren’t a super-fan like I am, there are some things you should know. Eric Church is considered one of a kind. His name is attached to a handful of verified social media accounts, but I doubt he has the passwords handy. He won a CMA Award for Entertainer of The Year in 2020, but it took him years to recover in the eyes of the industry after “Princess of Darkness,” an interlude on his 2014 album “The Outsiders” that suggested Nashville was the Bride of the Devil. For his “Mr. Misunderstood” album, Church wanted to surprise fans with new music, so he bought an entire record pressing plant in Germany. (His label was just as surprised.) None of these things have anything to do with this weekend’s UNC men’s basketball game, but hopefully it paints a picture that Eric Church has always done what he felt was right — and fans usually praise him for it.

If I call in sick to work, my work either gets done the next day, or a coworker generously fills in for me. This is the case for most of us. When someone like Eric Church wants to call out of work, there is no replacing him. I’m not ignoring the fact that him being a celebrity has provided an incredible life for him and his family, rather acknowledging that it’s a double edge sword and his lifestyle requires sacrifices. The decision to cancel a concert and tell the truth about why couldn’t have come easily, and he’ll face consequences long after Saturday night has come and gone.

Speaking of filling in, I covered Art Chansky’s Sports Notebook for a couple days last year. (Much like today, I suggested it as joke and someone said yes anyway.) I wrote about the new faces that would soon represent the UNC – Duke rivalry, saying we were “lucky to be in the middle of something so special.” I never imagined then that the Madness of March would lead us here, and I still can’t believe it now. I drive on Tobacco Road every day and something like this was never on my radar, so I’m sure it came as a shock to someone like Eric Church who is rarely in one place for long, let alone the epicenter of the rivalry.

It’s important to remember that famous people are still people, who deserve grace and understanding just like the rest of us. Eric Church tours for months at a time, he doesn’t have an opening act, he plays over 30 songs a night, and doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. He has fought with ticket re-sellers to be sure fans can afford his shows. You can’t buy his meet and greets no matter how much you would pay; they can only be won through a lottery system. He’s also a husband, a father to two boys, and a dedicated son. I’m sure he’s missed important events throughout his career, a decision he wasn’t willing to make for this completely unprecedented event.

Despite what you may be thinking right this moment, I am not delusional. Church made a selfish, unprofessional, and to quote someone I discussed this with on Twitter yesterday, “mind-boggling” decision – but who hasn’t? Even in recent history, celebrities have made choices that they’ve later asked forgiveness for, whether it’s been drinking too much, a physical altercation, using language they shouldn’t, or sometimes a combination of all three. Eric Church acknowledged this was selfish and disappointing, and he faced the music and told the truth anyway.

I have faith Eric Church will somehow make this up to disappointed San Antonio fans. In the meantime, my hope is that the fans who have continuously praised him and found him relatable as an “Outsider” that makes choices he believes in, can eventually see this for what it is: a True Blue Tar Heel, who whether they win or lose, is going to make a special, once-in-multiple-lifetimes memory with his family – just like the rest of us.

 

Photo by Rick Scuteri/Invision/AP

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