RECORD-BREAKING TICKET SALES INSPIRE EMI RECORDS NASHVILLE’S ERIC CHURCH TO ANNOUNCE SECOND LEG OF 2012 HEADLINING TOUR: THE BLOOD, SWEAT & BEERS TOUR

“Drink In My Hand” Marks Church’s First-Ever Top 5 and Climbing Single on Country Billboard Charts

Few albums demanded attention in 2011 like Eric Church’s CHIEF, and subsequently ticket sales for his headlining tour are smoldering with the plea. Having broken Jason Aldean’s record for the highest number of tickets ever sold for a live event at the Landers Center in Southaven, MS, and experiencing near sell-outs in additional markets, Church will now bring his “delightfully overemphatic outlaw aspirations and snarling power chords,” as SPIN describes them, to fans in Atlantic City, New York City, Orlando, Nashville, Minneapolis and more,  (full list below). Meanwhile, the Best Country Album of the Year 2012 GRAMMY nominee is celebrating  his first-ever top five and climbing single on the Country Billboard charts, “Drink In My Hand.”

Due to overwhelming demand, Church will now headline several coveted venues including Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO for the first time in his career. “Every good artist reaches a watershed moment and Eric Church has arrived at his with CHIEF,” wrote The Boston Globe; and there’s no challenging their prediction now as Church garnered placement on numerous “Best Of” lists for 2011.

Tickets for upcoming dates are on-sale now and fans also have the option to purchase a special “VIP Package” where they’ll be treated to an exclusive VIP pre-concert party and intimate acoustic performance from Church backstage. For more information and to purchase, visit www.ericchurch.com.

The full list of Church’s upcoming tour dates is below, with an asterisk (*) denoting a new addition.

Eric Church The Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour Dates:

1/19      Fort Smith, AR- Fort Smith Convention Center

1/20      Cape Girardeau, MO- Show Me Center

1/21      Southaven, MS- Landers Center

1/26      Madison, WI – The Alliant Energy Center

1/27      Saginaw, MI- The Dow Event Center

1/28      Terre Haute, IN- The ISU Hulman Center

2/2        Savannah, GA-Savannah Civic Center

2/3        Knoxville, TN-Thompson Boling Arena

2/4        Norfolk, VA-Ted Constant Center

2/16      Greenville, SC-Bi-Lo Center

2/17      Salisbury, MD- Wicomico Civic Center

2/18      Greensboro, NC-Greensboro Coliseum

2/23      Battle Creek, MI-Kellogg Arena

2/24      Cleveland, OH-Wolstein Center at CSU

2/25      Ft. Wayne, IN- Allen County War Memorial Col.

3/1        Portland, ME- Cumberland Country Civic Center

3/2        Lowell, MA- Tsongas Center at UMASS Lowell

3/3        Indiana, PA- Kocalchick Center

3/8        Oklahoma City, OK- Chesapeake Energy Center

3/9        Jonesboro, AR – ASU Convocation Center*

3/10      Orange Beach, AL- Amphitheater at The Wharf

3/14      New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom*

3/15      Binghampton, NY – Broome County Arena*

3/16      Reading, PA – Sovereign Center*

3/17      Atlantic City, NJ – Etess Arena*

3/22      Estero, FL – Germain Arena*

3/23      Orlando, FL – UCF Arena*

3/24      Tallahassee, FL – Tallahassee Civic Center*

4/12      Tupelo, MS – BancorpSouth Arena*

4/13      Bossier City, LA – Centurylink Center*

4/14      Auburn, AL – Alpha Psi Rodeo*

4/19      Evansville, IN – Ford Center*

4/20      St Louis, MO – Chaifetz Arena*

4/21      Pikeville, KY – Eastern KY Expo Center*

4/26      Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena*

4/27      Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena*

4/28      Bloomington, IL – US Cellular Coliseum*

5/3        Springfield, MO – JQH Arena*

5/5        Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena*

5/10      Toledo, OH – Huntington Center*

5/11      Hoffman Estates, IL – Sears Centre*

5/12      Youngstown, OH – Covelli Center*

5/17      Minneapolis, MN – Target Center*

5/18      Topeka, KS – Landon Arena*

5/19      Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre*

Opening acts for various dates include Brantley Gilbert, Sonia Leigh, Blackberry Smoke, Jon Pardi, The Cadillac Black and Drake White. 

AUDIO: Eric Church talks about rehearsing for his upcoming Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour.

Eric Church (tour rehearsals) OC: … translate to the show.

“I think this is the first time we’ve ever really had to rehearse for a headline arena tour, or any other kind of tour, because it’s such a big tour. I mean, it’s the first time that we’ve really had control of the stage, it’s the first time we’ve had this size set, this size of production. And it’s gonna be neat to go in, and you can kind of feel the energy already, even though we’re a couple of weeks away. You can feel it building. I mean, every day gets ya a little closer. It’s like a distant drum that gets louder and louder, and I’m excited. Usually, in touring season, I’m dreading starting again, because I don’t feel like we had enough time off. Every year, it gets shorter and shorter. This is the first year that I mean, I’m chomping at the bit. My band’s been chomping at the bit. We’re ready to get out there and play, and we’re as excited as we’ve ever been, and I think it’ll translate to the show.”