After picking up his first CMA Award for Album of the Year, Eric Church said he’d never expected to win an award in his career.  After winning the album category for Chief, Church told reporters backstage he never expected to win a CMA Award in his career. “Our path’s been a little bit different. I distinctly remember playing for about eight people in Amarillo, Texas, about four years ago, and to go from there to here is quite surreal. A lot of it I owe to the fans,” says Eric. “The only way we could get our music out there was to keep playing shows. In doing it that way, we laid this foundation. I think when radio started to come on board and the industry started to come on board, it made it that much sweeter.”

If you weren’t able to catch Eric’s performance of “Springsteen” or his acceptance speech, you have a second chance. CMT will re-broadcast the CMA Awards November 21st at 9pm ET.

AUDIO: Backstage after last week’s CMA Awards, Eric Church says he’d never imagined he would win a CMA Award.

Eric Church (CMA – never imagined) OC: …what we do. :47
“Never…especially with our journey. Our path’s been a little bit different. I distinctly remember playing for about eight people in Amarillo, Texas, about four years ago, and to go from there to here is quite surreal. A lot of it I owe to the fans and we’ve always — more than other people maybe — have built our career there with playing shows on the road. Playing 10, 12, 14 shows in a row, and not really getting paid. The only way we could get our music out there was to keep playing shows. In doing it that way, we laid this foundation. I think when radio started to come on board and the industry started to come on board, it made it that much sweeter. It’s not something that I think about for me. I’ve never put a lot weight on awards, but I’ve always wanted it for the people who believed in me from the very beginning that have been so passionate about what we do.”