High praise from one of the best. Jon Pardi has always been one of those artists who don’t get enough credit in today’s country world. As an artist firmly planted in the mainstream, he’s scored plenty of #1s throughout his career, namely with smash hits like “Head Over Boots,” “Dirt On My Boots” and “Heartache on the Dancefloor.” However, when you take a look at his discography as a whole, you quickly realize that Pardi is one of the last remaining traditionalists in the genre who still frequently receives mainstream attention. Whether its his underrated gem of an album, Heartache Medication, or his breakout sophomore effort, California Sunrise, it’s been more than apparent that Pardi, despite still falling into some mainstream clichés from time to time, is one of the most successful commercial artists who’s still dedicated to preserving a classic country sound. Of course, this is complete with heavy doses of fiddle and steel throughout each and every one of his projects. There was a time, however, back in 2012 where the “Night Shift” singer was still in the early stages of his career and looking for a big break from a fellow artist to truly jumpstart his career. And that came from none other than the Chief himself, Eric Church. At this point, it should come as no surprise that Church is always ahead of the curve when it comes to booking talented openers before their careers take off. During 2023’s Outsiders Revival Tour alone, Church called upon the names of The Red Clay Strays, Muscadine Bloodline, Shane Smith & the Saints, Koe Wetzel, Whiskey Myers, Hailey Whitters, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll and more — all before the respected artists rose to the prominence they’re experiencing today. Couple that with early selections of the likes of Brothers Osborne, Blackberry Smoke, Drive-By Truckers and more on past tours, it’s safe to say that Church knows talent when he hears it. That remained the same with Pardi back in 2012 as well. During Church’s first headlining tour, Blood, Sweat and Beers, the “Springsteen” singer called upon Pardi along with the likes of Brantley Gilbert, Cadillac Black, Blackberry Smoke, Sonia Leigh and Drake White. At this point in Pardi’s career, he hadn’t even released his debut album, Write You a Song, and only released his first single, “Missin’ You Crazy” just months before the tour kicked off in the summer of 2012. Despite being relatively new to the industry and in the early stages of his career, the California native would reveal how welcoming Church was during his time out on the road with him. In a recent conversation with Kate Mackz, who rose to prominence online with her running interview series, Pardi hit the streets of Connecticut on a jog with the host to talk about a plethora of different topics. Later in the interview, Mackz would ask Pardi who was the first artist to take an interest in his music. Immediately, he pointed to Church: “Eric Church was the one [who] brought us on tour and gave us compliments and made us feel good… Especially when you’re out there, in the dirt, paying your dues, when somebody you look up to just says, ‘Hey dude, you’re doing a good job,’ [it means the world to you].” @katemackz It’s Pardi time!!! @Jon Pardi thank you for joining us for a run pre-show legend #therunninginterviewshow #runwithkate #jonpardi #honkytonkhollywood #mrsaturdaynight ♬ original sound – KATE MACKZ As Pardi stated in the interview, hearing high praise from an artist as universally respected as Church is bound to be a huge boost in confidence so early in your career. As we sit in 2025, Pardi has now secured five #1s, a pair of ACM and CMA awards and constant headlining placements on high-profile festivals throughout the country from year-to-year. It’s safe to say the Chief was ahead of the curve once again with his praise for Pardi 13 years ago. While you’re here, check out Pardi’s duet with Lauren Alaina, “Don’t Blame It on Whiskey,” which was co-written by Church and Miranda Lambert.  The post Jon Pardi Says Eric Church Was The First Artist To Take Notice Of Him: “Gave Us Compliments And Made Us Feel Good” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.