It's a long way to the top if you want to play country music. Just ask Eric Church.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Before the "Hell of a View" singer put on his sunglasses to become who he is today, he was like the rest of us: working a crummy job to make ends meet. But as he explains, he was very bad at this gig.
Eric Church Worked the Graveyard Shift
After graduating from Appalachian State University in North Carolina, Church made his way to Nashville to become a star. But as the songwriter explained on The Bobby Bones Show, fame didn't happen right away, so he had a few side hustles.
Church says the worst of these jobs was the graveyard shift at the Shop at Home Network.
"That was bad enough, but then I would work all night, go home, shower and then I had writing appointments all day because I was trying to get a career started," he said.
He added, "I'd go write songs and get meetings just trying to get signed. And end up getting done at 3 of 4 with all of that, I'd go home, take a shower or sleep for a little bit, and then I had to be at work again at midnight."
What Was Eric Church Selling?
Showing up to work late at night wasn't what made the job a crummy one, though it probably didn't help. It actually had more to do with what Church was selling.
"I sold knives from midnight to 7 or 8 a.m. And, anytime somebody calls you at 3 or 4 a.m. and needs 200 knives for $19.95, it's automatically an alarming situation," he shared.
"And I was young, and I'd been in a lot of these people's shoes, I had done this," added Church. "I knew they were drunk. I knew what they had done. They'd just come home from the bar, flipped on Shop at Home and said, 'You know what? I need that.'"
Church was eventually fired, and the reason why is hilarious, but also very sweet. It proves that even when he was struggling, Church showed he had character.
"So, it was awful doing that job. And then they got rid of me because they were like, 'You're the worst. I can't believe you're talking people out of it,'" he said. "I was like, 'Man, I know...I've been there.' I'd want someone to talk me out of buying some of the stuff I've bought at 2 a.m."
