Eric Church Strikes Gold With 'Carolina'

Nashville, Tenn. (Top40 Charts/ EMI Records) EMI Recording Artist and North Carolina native Eric Church has struck gold. The RIAA announced today that Eric's latest career-launching studio album, CAROLINA, is Gold-certified having sold over 500,000 units.

"It's always been my goal to make records that are a complete body of work and not just random songs strung together-personally, I still love to put on a record and let it play top to bottom," Church shares. "It is a dream come true that CAROLINA is now a gold record, and it is proof there are still people out there who think about music the same way I do. I owe this to every fan that told someone about this record, and to them I say 'thank you!'"

CAROLINA features hits "Smoke A Little Smoke" and "Love Your Love The Most" which have both also been certified Gold, having sold over 500,000 digital copies each. Church's previous Top 20 singles have included "How 'Bout You," "Two Pink Lines," and "Guys Like Me" from his 2006 critically-acclaimed debut, SINNERS LIKE ME. "Hell On The Heart" also charted Top 20 from CAROLINA.

Recently awarded the ACM New Solo Vocalist of The Year Award at the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards and nominated for the fan-voted Nationwide Insurance On Your Side Award at the 2011 CMT Music Awards, Church is well on his way to superstar success.

Church will release his third studio album, CHIEF, on July 26, 2011 on EMI Records. "Homeboy" is the first single from the upcoming release, and it is his fastest-climbing radio single to-date currently at No 21 on Country Billboard and climbing. To view the chilling new music video for the song, which was filmed at the Tennessee State Prison, click here.

Fans can catch Church out on tour with Jason Aldean and Toby Keith this summer and fall. For a full list of dates, visit www.ericchurch.com