Eric Paslay was among the many fans in the audience at last week’s CMA Awards talking about the incredible performance by Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake. He describes the entire night as “mind-blowingly awesome!”

“I’ve been a fan of Chris Stapleton for years and years, as well as everyone in the country music community in Nashville – just the songs he writes and how many songs he’s on and the songs he sings on in the background of other artists – just all over the radio,” says Eric. “For him to win New Artist, Album and Male Vocalist, it just seemed right with his album, Traveller, that came out this year…I was somehow on the third row in front of Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake, and I was like at church. I think the whole room just felt the magic of something changing in country music.”

He also says the performance was not only exciting for the fans, but as musicians, because it raises the level of music being made in town. “It’s exciting for us to go, ‘Let’s raise the bar, let’s raise the bar, let’s raise the bar,’ and just have a fun, an amazing time, because we’re doing this because we love music, and I’m glad it happened with my buddy, Chris Stapleton,” says Eric. “I get a little emotional when someone you’re a huge fan of gets a shout-out like that, because he’s been writing songs and singing songs for empty rooms and half-filled rooms. And he’s never even had a Top 20 as a singer on the radio, yet, he won Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year and New Artist of the Year. That’s awesome. That’s great music, and I’m glad that people are speaking up about it.”

Eric – another great musician – is going “High Class” with his latest single, the first release from his forthcoming album due out next year.