Back in 2012, country music star Eric Church ruffled the feathers of many other country stars after making a comment in Rolling Stone about the integrity of the judges and contestants of reality TV singing competitions like American Idol and The Voice.
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"Honestly, if Blake Shelton and Cee Lo Green turn around in a red chair, you got a deal? That's crazy," says Church. "I don't know what would make an artist do that. You're not an artist." He went on to say that he believes getting involved in these shows taints an artist's legacy. "Once your career becomes about something other than the music, then that's what it is. I'll never make that mistake. I don't care if I starve."
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After the issue went live, artists like Miranda Lambert, who competed on Nashville Star, and The Voice coach Blake Shelton shared their thoughts on social media: Shelton quoted a post reporting Church's comments, sharing "I wish I misunderstood this . . ." Lambert, who found major success in the industry after competing on Nashville Star tweeted, "Thanks Eric Church for saying I'm not a real artist. Or @kelly_clarkson, @carrieunderwood & @KeithUrban. Your welcome for the tour in 2010."
Of course, Church made another statement trying to clarify the meaning behind his original spew: "The comment I made to Rolling Stone was part of a larger commentary on these types of reality television shows and the perception they create, not the artists involved with the shows themselves. The shows make it appear that artists can shortcut their way to success. There are a lot of artists due to their own perseverance that have gone on to be successful after appearing on these shows, but the real obstacles come after the cameras stop rolling. Every artist has to follow up television appearances with dedication towards their craft, but these shows tend to gloss over that part and make it seem like you can be ordained into stardom. I have a lot of respect for what artists like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, and my friend Miranda Lambert have gone on to accomplish," Church clarified. "This piece was never intended to tear down any individual and I apologize to anybody I offended in trying to shed light on this issue. I am grateful for all of the artists and fans that have supported me along my journey and certainly did not mean for my comments to undermine their talent and achievements."
Thankfully, there was no bad blood between Lambert and Church. In an interview that same year, Lambert empathized with the "Springsteen" singer.
"I think that anybody can get roped into a really bad interview situation, and I've had things printed about me that sounded way worse than they were," Lambert told Yahoo! Music in 2012. "I know he said what he said, but it died off just like anything else that happens. Everybody loves to call it a feud. It's not really a feud, it's just, 'Dude, you totally messed up, and you know it,' and you move on."
The two artists seem to be on great terms these days. They even co-wrote the song "Don't Blame It On Whiskey," which was recorded by Jon Pardi and Lauren Alaina.
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