Eric Church’s Wife Is the Inspiration Behind His Love Songs! Get to Know Katherine Blasingame

Katherine is a Mom

Three years after they tied the knot in 2008, Eric and Katherine experienced parenthood when they welcomed their first child, Boone McCoy Church, on October 3, 2011. The pair’s second son, Tennessee Hawkins Church, arrived on February 15, 2015.

Although the two are quite private when it comes to their kids, Eric dished the inspiration behind their younger son’s name. “Hawk was just something that kind of came to me,” he told Country Countdown USA following the birth. “We have a bunch of property out west of town, and I was out there one day, and honestly saw a hawk, as weird as that is, and I called my wife, and said, ‘Have you thought about Hawk?’ It’s a cool name. It’s like a Top Gun fighter pilot.”

In July 2023, Eric shared a rare anecdote about being a dad after visiting the “Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul” exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

“Both of my kids, from 2 and 3 months old, they grew up on the tour bus, and when you’re in the tornado and you’re going through it, you forget all these things that happen,” he said at the event’s reception. “When they’re 1 or 2 or 3, and they just don’t remember that — that was my favorite part of this entire exhibit, experiencing it again with them.”

She’s in the Music Business

Eric may have the iconic singing voice, but his wife is also known in country showbiz. Per Taste of Country, she works as a music publisher. During his chat with the outlet, the loving hubby revealed Katherine “was in the music business before” he was.

Katherine is a Philanthropist

In addition to music publishing, Katherine is big in philanthropy. She is the head of The Chief Cares Fund, a nonprofit founded by her and Eric in 2013, which collects donations for “underprivileged families and children” throughout Tennessee, North Carolina and the globe, according to the website.

Katherine Loves Horse-Riding

In her free time, Katherine “loves” horseback riding. Though the songwriter isn’t the biggest fan, he’ll “sometimes” get on a horse and go riding with her. “But I’ll do it just to be with her for a little bit,” he sweetly shared with Rolling Stone.

Eric Wrote a Song for Katherine for Their Wedding

In honor of their special ceremony, Eric penned a song titled “You Make It Look So Easy” for his wife. Because Katherine had no idea her hubby was presenting the tune, which is featured on his 2009 album Carolina, she couldn’t help but get so emotional.

“At the wedding is the first time Katherine really heard the whole thing. She cried. Everybody cried,” he told Taste of Country in 2012. “That’s me baring my soul, there.”

Eric was nominated in five CMA Award categories in 2021, thanks to his three albums released just days apart. The trilogy is titled, Heart & Soul. A majority of the songs on each of the albums are about love, including the rock-inspired anthem, “Heart on Fire.” Katherine has been the clear inspiration behind several of the songs in the 2020 CMA Entertainer of the Year’s extensive catalog throughout their marriage.