“God Made Music the Universal Language”: Eric Church Delivers Powerful Speech While Accepting the ACM Lifting Lives Award

Eric Church has never been one to give a forgettable speech, and his appearance at the 19th annual ACM Honors in Nashville was no exception.

Held at The Pinnacle, the ceremony brought together some of country music’s biggest names to recognize artists, songwriters, creators, and others whose work has made a lasting impact on the genre. Carly Pearce returned as host for the sixth consecutive year, joined by reigning Album of the Year winner Parker McCollum.

Unlike the ACM Awards, which primarily celebrate individual achievements such as albums, performances, and events, ACM Honors focuses on broader contributions to country music and the people behind them. Awards presented throughout the evening included the Poet’s Award, International Award, Spirit Award, Lifting Lives Award, and several others.

Among the night’s honorees was Kacey Musgraves, who received the ACM Spirit Award, an honor inspired by the late Merle Haggard. Brett James was posthumously recognized with the Poet’s Award alongside Dolly Parton, who accepted remotely, and The Carter Family for their songwriting careers.

Taylor Sheridan’s hit series Landman took home the ACM Film Award, while Ella Langley earned her first Artist-Songwriter award after an extraordinary run that has included the success of “Choosin’ Texas.”

The evening also featured several notable performances. Kaitlin Butts, Carter Faith, and Carly Pearce joined forces for a rendition of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.” Dierks Bentley paid tribute to Brett James with “I Hold On,” while Flatland Cavalry’s Cleto Cordero performed “Midland After Midnight” with Landman actor Mark Collie.

Eric Church Honored for His Work Beyond Music

Church received the 2026 ACM Lifting Lives Award in recognition of his long-standing commitment to philanthropy and charitable work.

The Academy specifically highlighted his response to Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of North Carolina. Church helped organize the Concert for Carolina alongside Luke Combs, donated all royalties from his song “Darkest Hour,” and has remained involved in the region’s recovery and rebuilding efforts.

His charitable work extends well beyond the hurricane response. Through his nonprofit, Chief Cares, Church has directed millions of dollars toward causes including orphanages in Nepal, relief efforts in Haiti, and humane society no-kill shelters.

Sheryl Crow, who performed “Drink In My Hand” during the ceremony, joined Church on stage as he accepted the award. In his speech, Church reflected on the origins of Concert for Carolina and the people who helped make it happen.

“When Hurricane Helene happened, there were a few people I called,” Church said, naming Crow, Keith Urban, James Taylor, Luke Combs, and Billy Strings.

Together, they put the concert together as a way to help those affected by the disaster.

“I’ve played a lot of concerts, but I believe that it was the most pure-intentioned concert I’ve ever played,” he said.

“God Made Music the Universal Language”

Church then turned his attention to what he sees as one of music’s greatest powers: its ability to reach people regardless of their circumstances.

“I believe that God made music the universal language,” he said. “I believe that that was the creed when King David wrote the first song. You forget what music can do and who it can speak to.”

For Church, the impact of Concert for Carolina has continued well beyond the night of the event.

The North Carolina native offered an update on the rebuilding effort, revealing that the team was preparing to put its 37th family into a new home in western North Carolina.

He also announced that another project would begin the following month, with plans to build four additional homes in a neighboring county. Once those houses are completed, the total number of homes connected to their rebuilding efforts will reach 41.

“It’s because of music that it happened,” Church said. “It’s changing those families’ lives. It’s changing their kids’ lives. It’s changing their future.”

Church also took a moment to recognize the people closest to him who helped make the effort possible, specifically thanking his wife, Katherine, and his manager, John Peets, for the roles they played throughout the process.

He closed by expressing his gratitude to the ACMs for the award and to Crow for her involvement in Concert for Carolina.

“Music is more powerful than you can ever comprehend — ever,” Church said. “So I thank the ACMs for this. I thank them for honoring who they’re honoring and why they’re doing it. And I thank Sheryl Crow.”

His speech served as a reminder of why the ACM Lifting Lives Award exists in the first place: to recognize the ways country music and its artists can extend their influence far beyond the stage.