Singer/songwriter/guitarist Eric Heatherly fused his affection for country, rockabilly, and classic rock into a sound that has powered his musical career. Born February 21, 1970 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the precocious Heatherly wrote his first songs before his tenth birthday. He built his chops at Nashville clubs and college gigs, becoming an admired guitarist during the 90s. His early recordings drew praise from elder statemen like Duane Eddy. He landed a high-profile guest spot at the 1997 Country Music Awards when Shania Twain had him play in her band. Turning down an offer to remain her sideman, Heatherly concentrated on his solo career, releasing his debut album Swimming in Champagne on Mercury in 2000. The first single, a rockabilly-flavored cover of “Flowers on the Wall”, landed him a top 10 hit on the Country chart. Another song, “Wrong Five O’Clock”, earned him a second top forty country hit. A series of changes at various labels led to Heatherly recording two more albums that were shelved before being released. It was 2005 before a new album, The Lower East Side of Life, finally saw the light of day on Koch. Heatherly continued his career with self-released albums such as, 2 High 2 Cry, Painkillers, and The Goats of Kudzu, and gigging.
