Church’s Striking Gibson Hummingbird Dark Signature Acoustic Guitar Unveiled in Video; Available at Authorized Gibson Dealers in May
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. – (Friday, April 29, 2016) – On the heels of winning ACM Video
of the Year Award for “Mr. Misunderstood” earlier this month, Eric Church has premiered his new music video for current single, “Record Year,” on Vevo earlier today with a broadcast debut on CMT’s Hot 20 Countdown this Saturday, April 30. The music video again enlists directors John Peets and Reid Long and features teenager McKinley James
who starred in the music video for “Mr. Misunderstood” and appears on
the cover art of Church’s highly acclaimed album by the same name. Also
making an appearance in the 3:09 video is Church’s new uniquely
designed and distinctively customized signature edition of the world
famous Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar, aptly termed by Church as Hummingbird Dark.
Church –who joins artists such as Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Emmylou
Harris, and Pete Townshend who have also constructed their own signature
guitars – is seen playing the model throughout the video shot in an
abandoned schoolhouse on the outskirts of Nashville, Tenn.
“…a standout of Church’s latest album…” raved Rolling Stone rejoicing
it “…makes the case for losing oneself in music to get over a
break-up. Specifically, it’s the warmth of vinyl albums…” and Los Angeles Times dubbing it one of his more “deeply felt heartbreak songs.” Church co-wrote the track, #9 on Mr. Misunderstood,
with longtime banjo player and guitarist Jeff Hyde. With poignantly
clever lyrics, “Record Year” is Church’s ode to a lost-love who instead
of finding solace in another’s arms finds consolation in a three-foot
stack of vinyl albums. Iconic albums and artists are namechecked in the
song, including Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key of Life, Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger, John Lee Hooker’s One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer as
well as artists James Brown, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, and New
Grass Revival, reflecting the diversity of influence on Church and his
music.
Throughout the video, Church and his band members are seen marking time
by listening to vinyl records on turntables as well as performing. In
several key visuals, vinyl records are stacked horizontally to become a
3-D audio waveform reflecting the sonic intensity of the song.
Next up Church will be seen performing with his new Gibson Hummingbird Dark acoustic guitar at
Stagecoach Festival on April 29 in Indio, California. He will then
perform two shows at The Joint in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel
and Casino on April 30 and May 1, but until then, fans can see the
customized acoustic guitar here in the music video for “Record Year.”
About Eric Church
The two-time Country Music Association and four-time Academy of Country
Music Award winner cemented his reputation as a maverick by releasing
his 2015 album Mr. Misunderstood as a surprise, delivering it
to fans before announcing its existence and putting it on sale. He is
rising up the country charts with “Record Year,” the second single,
which Rolling Stone dubbed “the most moving moment” on the widely lauded album.
The North Carolina native’s previous album, The Outsiders debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard Top
200 Albums Chart and Top Country Albums Chart with the highest debut
and sales of any release in the format that year, making Church 2014’s
top-selling country music artist. The album garnered GRAMMY, CMA and ACM
Album of the Year nominations and featured his No. 1 hits “Give Me Back
My Hometown” and “Talladega,” as well as multiple nominee “Like A
Wrecking Ball.” The Outsiders was the follow-up to Church’s Platinum-certified CHIEF,
named the 2012 Album of the Year by both CMA and ACM, and
GRAMMY-nominated for Best Country Album. The LP featured five Top 20
singles: “Homeboy” (certified Platinum for sales in excess of 1
million); the Top 10 “Like Jesus Does” and the Top 5 “Creepin’” (both
certified Gold for sales in excess of 500,000); and two No. 1 hits
“Drink in My Hand” (certified Platinum) and “Springsteen” (certified
Double Platinum for sales in excess of 2 million singles). Church’s 2006
debut album, Sinners Like Me, and his sophomore album, Carolina, (2009) are both RIAA Gold certified.
Photo Credit: Reid Long + John Peets