Eric Church‘s exhibit, Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul. is now open at the Country Music Hall of Fame, The exhibit features numerous artificats throughout Church’s life and career, including a personal note from George Strait, instruments, song lyrics, awards, instruments and more.

After being honored by Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame, who praised Church for “going his own way” since the beginning of his career, Church remarked on the significance of having an exhibit in his honor, in the Country Music Hall of Fame.

“Quick inside story: when I make albums, in my head, I have a visualization of a wall of all my album covers of my favorite albums, whether it’s Waylon or it’s Stardust,” Church said from stage. “In my head, I see those. And when we finish making an album, I always ask myself, ‘Can this album hang on that wall?’ And that’s how I made records.

“And if you look around this room here, those same people are here,” he continued. “I know times change, I know technology happens, but the way we make music and the inspiration behind the music doesn’t change. That’s the way I’ve done it, and it’s very fitting that that’s represented in who the Hall of Fame is, and what the Hall of Fame represents.”

For Church, getting to share the experience with his 11-year-old son, Boone, and son Hawk, eight, who attended the exhibit opening alongside Church’s wife, Katherine, was especially significant.

“The best part about it, for me, both of my kids, and from two or three months old, they grew up on the tour bus,” the North Carolina native reflected. “When you’re in the tornado and you’re going through it, you forget all these things that happen.

“And to be beside my boys tonight as we walked through, and we went through those tidbits … When they were one or two or three, they just don’t remember that,” he added. “That was my favorite part of this entire exhibit, experiencing it again with them.”

To be recognized in the Country Music Hall of Fame, for Church far surpasses the other accolades that he has received throughout his career.

“This is an unbelievable honor for me,” Church shared. “The people that I’ve loved and respect are here, and they’ve been very instrumental to me being here. I will say that there is something to doing it your own way, and you can still get to where you want to go if you do it that way.”

Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul will remain open through June 2024. More information can be found at CountryMusicHallofFame.org.

Photo Credits: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum