Eric Church is opening up about his early days as an artist. Church recently received the ACM Icon Award at the ACM Honors. It’s a far cry from how Church began, performing at Woodlands BBQ in Blowing Rock, North Carolina as an 18-year-old.

“I had the Monday night gig at 6:00,” Church recalls (via Country Now). “I knew 12 songs and that’s it. And I’ll never forget that night. I remember thinking, ‘This is the most fun I’ve ever had. And if I can just get to the Friday or Saturday night gig at Woodlands, I’ll never want anything else.’ God had a bigger plan than that. I ended up doing more things, and I’ve had a career where I’ve got to make the music I want to make, and I’ve gotten to play that music on stage.”

Eric Church Praises His Fans

Church, of course, went on to do much bigger things. His first Sinners Like Me album came out in 2006, the beginning of a career that has included awards, nominations, hit singles, platinum albums, sold-out tours, and more. It’s a testament to Church’s success, but also to his fans, who have been supportive of him from the beginning. They’ve also embraced all of his music, not just the singles, a rarity for an artist in any genre of music.

“I’ve had fans that have bought into that,” Church boasts. “And they’re more excited when I play an album cut from ten years ago than they are when I play some of the hit songs. And I love that. Very blessed. I have been very blessed to be able to have a career that way. And back to that first gig at Woodlands, I had so much fun. I loved music. I loved to play it. I loved that moment.”

Eric Church Honors His Wife, Katherine

Now 48, Church can credit his almost two decades in country music to a lot of hard work and determination, in addition to his talent. But he also credits his wife of 17 years, Katherine, who he says is the inspiration behind all of his success.

“If I did not meet her, I would be playing with Woodlands BBQ right now,” Church says.

@acmawards This was a HARDY secret to keep ? @HARDY just KILLED it on the #ACMhonors stage to honor @Eric Church ♬ original sound – ACM Awards

HARDY Honors Eric Church

Church was honored with a performance by HARDY before receiving the Icon Award. HARDY has penned plenty of big hits in recent years, including Morgan Wallen’s “Sand In My Boots” and “Up Down,” Kenny Chesney’s “Take Her Home,” Blake Sheltons’ “God’s Country” and more. For HARDY, his songwriting can be traced back to Church, and his 2011 single, “Homeboy.”

“The first time I heard it, I was new to town,” HARDY recalls. “I was driving to a class at MTSU [Middle Tennessee State University]. It literally sent a chill up my spine. And at the time, this was 15 years ago, I was still trying to figure out how to write a country song. And when I heard ‘Homeboy,’ I told myself, this is the kind of song I want to write every day for the rest of my life. And to this day, I tell everybody that I owe every bit of my songwriting career to that moment and that song to Eric Church for inspiring me to just go for it every single day.”

Photo Credit: Getty for ACM / Jason Kempin