it’s Saturday and once again, it’s Early Church!

WEEK 2 of the NEW weekly web feature detailing the early years of North Carolina native, Eric Church.

Let me be your weekly guide to NEW MUSIC that really isn't new, but just plain & simply, kicks butt! -Steve Richards

A few weeks ago on Sunday night at AT&T Stadium in Dallas and the ACM Awards, Eric Church, along with Keith Urban opened the show with a song that probably 95% of those in attendance and watching at home have never heard before, that being 'Pledge Allegiance to the Hag' (featuring Merle Haggard), track #10 from Eric's 2006 'Sinners' album. They would follow-up w/ Urban's current HIT & collaboration, 'RaiseEm-Up'!

NOTE: Take time to read the Rolling Stone Country piece about how the ACM organizers gave Church & Urban the green light to do 'Pledge Allegiance to the Hag'.

Here's a REPLAY of that opening song .......[WATCH]

Sinners Like Me is the debut album from country music artist Eric Church. Singles released from the album include "How 'Bout You", "Two Pink Lines", "Guys Like Me", and the title track, which respectively reached No. 14, No. 19, No. 17 and No. 51 on the Hot Country Songs charts. Although not released as a single, the track "Lightning" was made into a music video, which aired on the networks CMT and GAC. As of November 29, 2013, the album has sold 590,000 copies in the US.

Track listing
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Before She Does" Trent Willmon, Eric Church, Jeremy Spillman 3:19
2. "Sinners Like Me" E. Church, Spillman 3:52
3. "How 'Bout You" Brett Beavers, E. Church, Brandon Church 3:49
4. "These Boots" Michael P. Heeney, E. Church 3:48
5. "What I Almost Was" Heeney, E. Church 3:21
6. "The Hard Way" Heeney, E. Church, Casey Beathard 3:32
7. "Guys Like Me" Deric Ruttan, E. Church 3:11
8. "Lightning" E. Church 5:14
9. "Can't Take It with You" Marla Cannon-Goodman, Beathard, E. Church 4:24
10. "Pledge Allegiance to the Hag" (featuring Merle Haggard) Beavers, E. Church 4:25
11. "Two Pink Lines" Victoria Shaw, E. Church 3:27
12. "Livin' Part of Life" Liz Rose, Walt Wilkins, E. Church 4:29
Total length: 47:05