Eric Church Heads for ‘Carolina’

Critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Eric Church, who scored three Top 20 singles with his 2006 debut disc, 'Sinners Like Me,' is set to release the follow-up album, 'Carolina,' on March 24.

"'Sinners Like Me' changed my life. But you can't make the same record again. I wanted 'Carolina' to go to some different places," says the Granite Falls, N.C. native. "The first album was more aggressive and moody. This one is more diverse, more musical and a little brighter. I hope people can at least hear that we're still taking chances."

In conjunction with the new album, Church kicks off his Wild and Young Tour on March 12, with a pre-sale of tickets set to begin Friday, January 16, at Church's official website. Fans who purchase pre-sale tickets will be entered to win a meet-and-greet with the singer at his show.

On January 9, Church was in Raleigh to perform the new album's title track at the 2009 Governor's Inaugural Ball. "This is a very personal song for me," says the singer, "so when I heard that someone in the Governor-elect's organization heard the song 'Carolina' and decided that it needed to be part of the celebration -- well, it means a lot. Apparently this song hit them the same way it's hitting my fans; I'm grateful that it's making an impact. I'm also hoping it means that I can drive a little faster through the state!"