Parker McCollum Has Utmost Respect After Eric Church Watched Him Perform
Parker McCollum is a relative newcomer to mainstream country, but he has quickly left his mark. However, it's not lost on him when artists he's looked up to take the time to notice him.
There was a pivotal interaction McCollum specifically had with country staple Eric Church — a moment that left the younger singer with adoration and respect for the revered star.
McCollum had the chance to open for Church at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisc., earlier this year, and after that night, he took to Instagram to share how Church’s entire team had made him feel.
“We were opening the show, before @brothersosborne and him," McCollum writes. “His entire crew treated us like we were headlining. Unbelievably polite and accommodating the entire day.”
In an interview with Taste of Country, the singer further expressed his gratitude. Church had been touring since the middle of last year at that point, and McCollum had no expectation for the star to take time to watch him perform. However, the “Heart on Fire” singer had other plans.
Church didn't just watch McCollum perform one song, but watched the entire set. That action spoke volumes to the up-and-coming singer.
"For as long as he’s been doing it, for him to have the wherewithal … the thought process of, 'Hey I’m going to show this kid that I care,' means a lot,” he says.
What Church did for him, McCollum hopes to carry forward in his own career, personally and professionally.
“Manners were just an important thing in my household,” he says. "I’m fully grown now and still say yes ma'am and no sir to everybody. The respect that lies within all of that, to see him [Church] share that similar value, it’s something I recognize."
When it comes to music, McCollum has proven he's working to etch his own path in the genre. This year, McCollum had his singles "Pretty Heart” certified double-Platinum, and "To Be Loved by You" certified Gold by the RIAA. In addition, he has been busy with his own headlining tour, as well as making appearances on Thomas Rhett's Bring the Bar to You Tour.
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