Eric Church‘s experiences during his Holdin’ My Own Tour last year, has given him an even deeper appreciation for his fans who attended the 3 1/2 to 4 hour long shows, many of them multiple times.

“The connection that was developed with the fans from the Holdin’ My Own Tour was such a deep connection. It was always there, but this was a deeper thing, because not only did a lot of these people come to 20, 30 shows, but then they’re coming to 20, 30 shows and they’re giving 3 1/2-4 hours,” says Eric. “One of my favorite parts of every night was ‘Holdin’ My Own,’ the last song and everybody would always put their arms around each other shoulders and sway back and forth. It was just a neat moment for me after 3 1/2-4 hours.”

The North Carolina native is poised to top the country charts with “Round Here Buzz,” which is from his current studio album, Mr. Misunderstood.