Eric Church graced the cover of Billboard’s latest issue getting his COVID-19 vaccine. The Chief took the opportunity to encourage fans to get the vaccine so we can return to live music later this year.

“I view [the vaccines] as a God sent miracle,” he told Billboard. “It became very clear to me that the only way to really get back to normal is through vaccinations. You’ve got to get needles in arms.”

The new interview comes ahead of his upcoming fall arena tour (concert dates have yet to be announced) and before the release of his triple-album project, titled Heart & Soul, later this month.

“If you believe you shouldn’t [get vaccinated], I don’t have a problem with it. I’m a liberty guy, too. I get it. But I view this a little differently than most other things,” he said. “We’ve never encountered this.”

He explained of the pandemic, “The hardest thing about COVID [is that] it takes [away] what you do.”

Cox Media Group