Eric Church Combines Music and Wisdom in His Commencement Speech for UNC-Chapel Hill Grads
Eric Church Inspires Graduates at UNC-Chapel Hill Commencement
Country music star Eric Church captivated the graduating class of 2026 during UNC-Chapel Hill’s commencement ceremony on May 10. Delivering a heartfelt keynote address, Church performed his song “Carolina” for the audience, which included more than 7,000 graduates.
Celebrating New Beginnings
As he took the stage at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, Church shared that he struggled to craft a traditional speech before deciding to express himself through music. Sporting sunglasses and holding his guitar, he transformed the ceremony into a unique and moving lesson for graduates.
“I have torn up multiple speeches,” Church remarked, reflecting on his initial frustrations. “I have thrown things. And in one of my fits of frustration, I sat down with a guitar. And I thought, man, who am I kidding. I need to figure out a way to do this with a guitar.”
In an engaging metaphor, he explained to the audience, “I want to start with a sound. You know this sound. It’s a guitar that’s out of tune — something that almost gets there, it tries, but doesn’t. Some ancient, honest part of your brain knows it immediately. You don’t need training to hear it. You just know.”
Church explained that just as a chord requires all six strings to be in tune, so too does life depend on maintaining harmony in essential areas, including faith, family, heart, ambition, resilience, and community. He encouraged the graduates, which included 4,453 undergraduates, 1,608 master’s, and 981 doctoral students — many of whom are local residents — to nurture their roots and strive for personal growth.
“I want you to want things. You should want things,” he said. “The world has more than enough people standing at the edge of their own potential waiting for a permission slip that was never gonna arrive. Want the thing. Say it out loud. Build toward it with everything you have.”
However, Church cautioned about the unique challenges faced by today’s generation. “Your generation faces a temptation no generation before has ever faced. The temptation to perform to everyone and belong to no one. To be globally visible and locally invisible. Resist it. Plant yourself somewhere. Put down roots with the full intention of growing there.”
He further emphasized the importance of authenticity, reminding students that they each possess an original voice and perspective. “You were made uniquely, wonderfully, distinctly. There’s a sound only you can make,” he said. “The world does not need another cover song. It needs an original.”
Church concluded his address by acknowledging the inevitable challenges of life but urged graduates to listen to their inner selves. “The difference between a life that sounds like music and a life that sounds like noise is whether you stop and listen,” he stated.
To close the ceremony, Church performed “Carolina,” the title track of his 2009 album, as graduates swayed together, marking a memorable end to their celebration.
Church joins a lineup of artists delivering keynote remarks at various graduation ceremonies this year, including country artists Riley Green and Hilary Duff, who spoke to Northeastern University’s graduating class.
