CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela-based prisoners’ rights group Foro Penal said on X Sunday that it had verified the release of 16 people since an amnesty bill for people in held for political reasons was signed into law this week.
That number is far below those given by National Assembly leader Jorge Rodríguez a day prior. On Saturday, he said that 1,557 applications were being processed immediately and that hundreds people deprived of liberty benefiting from the amnesty law were already being released.
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez signed the amnesty measure into law on Thursday, signaling a major shift in policy following last month’s stunning U.S. military raid in the capital, Caracas, to capture then-President Nicolás Maduro.
It is expected to benefit opposition members, activists, human rights defenders, journalists and many others detained for months or even years.
But human rights organizations have reacted with distrust to the approval of the law, calling it insufficient because it leaves out, for example, imprisoned military personnel.
The new law also excludes those convicted of homicide, drug trafficking and serious human rights violations.
Days after Maduro’s capture, Rodríguez’s government offered to release a significant number of prisoners as a gesture to consolidate peace. Since then, a total of 464 people have been released but more than 600 remain detained, according to Foro Penal.
These releases did not grant full freedom but rather are a precautionary measure substituting imprisonment. Released detainees are banned from speaking to the press, leaving the country and participating in political activities.
The opposition has demanded an amnesty law which grants full freedom to political detainees.
The Venezuelan Red Cross in a statement on Sunday that it would accept the government’s invitation to accompany the release process stemming from the amnesty law.
If there was an Olympic medal for problem solving, this group would own the podium. We got tickets for the Canada semi-final game. I didn’t have tickets to the Canada semi-finals game, but you had American tickets. Got on Facebook real quick and worked the socials to try to get some swaps going. Both sides agreed to. It this far at noon. All right, break here we go for the great Olympic ticket swap. I’m gonna hit transfer as trade agreements between the US and Canada go. This is about the most simple one ever. This is *** straight ticket exchange. We have like the hospitality ticket too, so I’ll send you info and you get *** gift. We were going to split it 4 ways, but we’d rather you just have it. No money, no other gimmicks, just ticket for ticket. It doesn’t matter where you’re sitting, trading tickets over their phones to hockey, sealing the deal with *** drink. The international language of having *** beer together, you know, it doesn’t get any better than that. I think it’s *** really once in *** lifetime experience to be at the Olympics. As well as get to do something as pure and together as *** ticket exchange like this, it would appear U.S.Canadian relations are back on track. At least until the gold medal round. No friends in the gold medal round. We’re here to win it. Go to Canada. say.
Team USA men’s hockey honors Johnny Gaudreau after winning first gold in 46 years
The U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team won gold in spectacular fashion on Sunday, the last day of the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.The U.S. scored a second goal in overtime, clinching the first gold win for the U.S. team in 46 years. The last time the team won was in 1980, during the “Miracle on Ice” game in Lake Placid, New York, exactly 46 years ago.But the moment became even more poignant when several members of the team honored Johnny Gaudreau. The NHL player died tragically in 2024, along with his brother, when they were struck by a car near their childhood home in New Jersey.Auston Matthews, Zach Werenski and Matthew Tkachuk carried a Johnny Gaudreau No. 13 jersey around the ice following the win as the latest tribute to the beloved player.Gaudreau’s parents, Guy and Jay, his widow, Meredith, and their oldest children were in attendance. It was John Jr.’s second birthday.The team brought 3-year-old Noa and 2-year-old John Jr. onto the ice as they held up Gaudreau’s jersey for the team photo.Gaudreau would’ve likely played on the Olympic team for the U.S. He never got the chance to play on an Olympic team, despite representing Team USA in four World Championship tournaments, according to Yahoo Sports.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
The U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team won gold in spectacular fashion on Sunday, the last day of the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
The U.S. scored a second goal in overtime, clinching the first gold win for the U.S. team in 46 years. The last time the team won was in 1980, during the “Miracle on Ice” game in Lake Placid, New York, exactly 46 years ago.
But the moment became even more poignant when several members of the team honored Johnny Gaudreau. The NHL player died tragically in 2024, along with his brother, when they were struck by a car near their childhood home in New Jersey.
Auston Matthews, Zach Werenski and Matthew Tkachuk carried a Johnny Gaudreau No. 13 jersey around the ice following the win as the latest tribute to the beloved player.
Gaudreau’s parents, Guy and Jay, his widow, Meredith, and their oldest children were in attendance. It was John Jr.’s second birthday.
The team brought 3-year-old Noa and 2-year-old John Jr. onto the ice as they held up Gaudreau’s jersey for the team photo.
Gaudreau would’ve likely played on the Olympic team for the U.S. He never got the chance to play on an Olympic team, despite representing Team USA in four World Championship tournaments, according to Yahoo Sports.
There’s a deluge of great releases coming up in the next month, so we’ve devised this handy guide for our most anticipated albums!
Black Label Society – Engines Of Demolition (March 27, 2026)
With Engines Of Demolition, Black Label Society mastermind Zakk Wylde channels the turbulence of the past four years into a record that spans triumphant highs and crushing lows. Written between 2022 and 2025 during Wylde‘s time on the Pantera Celebration World Tour, the album balances hulking riffs and road-hardened grit with some of his most personal material to date, including the heartfelt tribute “Ozzy’s Song.”
San Francisco’s elusive post-black metal collective Bosse-de-Nage return after eight years with Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, their most expansive and unbound work yet. Long affiliated with The Flenser, the band has evolved in relative isolation, allowing their sound to mutate beyond categorization. Tracked by Jack Shirley at Atomic Garden East and mixed/mastered by Richard Chowenhill, the album trades the taut restraint of Further Still for sprawl and strangeness, treating emotion as something tangible and spatial.
Dan Swanö – Moontower (Reissue) (March 6, 2026)
After 27 years, Dan Swanö‘s cult solo opus Moontower returns in a newly remastered edition, complete with a 16-track bonus disc. Originally conceived as “death metal from 1972,” the album captures Swanö at his most adventurous, weaving progressive rock ambition into extreme metal frameworks. Known for his work with acts like Opeth and Katatonia, Swanö revisits pivotal tracks such as “Sun of the Night” and “Uncreation” with renewed clarity, spotlighting the record’s swirling keys, humming guitars, and introspective menace.
Egregore – It Echoes In The Wild (March 20, 2026)
Canadian occult extremists Egregore push further into sonic wilderness on It Echoes In The Wild, an elemental expansion of their blackened death metal assault. Featuring members connected to acts like Mitochondrion and Auroch, the band balances primitive force with vast, atmospheric breadth, conjuring diabolic landscapes both geographic and psychological. Engineered by Mariessa McLeod and mixed/mastered by Arthur Rizk, the album embraces esoteric madness and untamed spirituality, plunging listeners into a lawless dominion where occult fury and windswept ambience collide.
ERRA – silence outlives the earth (March 6, 2026)
On silence outlives the earth, Alabama progressive metalcore standouts ERRA sharpen both their thematic focus and sonic extremes. Opening with the liminal swirl of “stelliform,” the album navigates existential uncertainty with mystical restraint and crushing catharsis in equal measure. Produced once again by Daniel Braunstein, the record finds ERRA at their most cohesive – ethereal passages bloom into punishing crescendos, and personal reflection intertwines with commentary on a fractured world.
Exodus – Goliath (March 20, 2026)
Thrash legends Exodus return swinging with Goliath, a ferocious and collaborative statement four decades into their reign. Produced by the band and mixed/mastered by Mark Lewis, the album blends razor-wire riffing and mosh-pit savagery with dynamic flourishes–from the anthemic surge of “The Changing Me” to the colossal title track featuring ominous string arrangements. With contributions from stalwarts Gary Holt, Lee Altus, Tom Hunting, and Jack Gibson, Goliath proves Exodus remain fearless, evolving without sacrificing the explosive authenticity that defined their 1985 debut Bonded By Blood.
Fotocrime – Security (March 13, 2026)
Louisville post-punk force Fotocrime expands its sonic arsenal on Security, welcoming new members Benjamin Clark and David Cundiff into the fold. Spearheaded by Evan Patterson, the album boasts an eclectic cast of collaborators, including Jay Weinberg, Barney Greenway, and members of Sumac and Young Widows. Co-produced and engineered alongside J. Robbins, Security refines Fotocrime‘s brooding intensity with layered textures and guest-driven dynamism, marking another bold chapter for the ever-evolving project.
Gaerea – Loss (March 20, 2026)
Portuguese masked collective Gaerea shed and reshape their blackened skin on Loss, their first release with Century Media. Recorded with longtime collaborator Miguel Tereso, the album integrates their post-black metal roots with sharper production, haunting melodies, and even unexpected clean vocals and choruses. Still cloaked in anonymity and ritualistic presence, Gaerea continue to explore the frayed edges of the human psyche, inviting their “Vortex Society” into a deeply personal yet transcendent sonic experience.
Gold Pyramid – Gold Pyramid (March 5, 2026)
The instrumental duo Gold Pyramid – uniting drummer Evan Diprima and guitarist John D. Cronise – deliver a self-titled debut that fuses heavy rock muscle with sci-fi synth shimmer and Southern groove. Known respectively for their work with Moon Destroys and The Sword, the pair channel their knack for uplifting, expansive sounds into a wordless journey aimed at transcendence. The result is a cinematic, riff-driven record that feels both grounded and otherworldly, offering a restorative blast of instrumental heavy rock.
Gutvoid – Liminal Shrines (March 20, 2026)
With Liminal Shrines, Canadian death/doom explorers Gutvoid unleash the first half of an ambitious two-part concept. Across six immersive movements, the band refines their cosmic horror atmospheres with more progressive structures and melodic focus, as heard on “Spell Reliquary.” Recorded across multiple studios and mixed/mastered by Greg Dawson, the album expands their crushing foundation into intricate, transformative territory steeped in themes of metamorphosis and mysticism.
Heavy Metal Shrapnel – Heavy Metal Hairspray (March 27, 2026)
Spearheaded by Andrew Lee and featuring powerhouse vocalist Mark Boals, Heavy Metal Shrapnel inject classic US power metal with a lean, aggressive edge on Heavy Metal Hairspray. Eschewing symphonic excess, the album embraces riff-heavy directness reminiscent of Boals‘ era with Yngwie Malmsteen, bolstered by a guest appearance from keyboard virtuoso Derek Sherinian. It’s a defiant celebration of big hooks, bigger riffs, and unapologetic heavy metal thunder.
Hellripper – Coronach (March 27, 2026)
The brainchild of James McBain, Hellripper storms forward with Coronach, a black/speed metal barrage steeped in Scottish history and old-school ferocity. Recorded at McBain‘s Coronach Studios and mastered by Damien Herring, the album draws inspiration from the raw attack of early Metallica and Venom while sharpening Hellripper‘s own blood-soaked identity. As their Century Media debut, it promises high-octane riffing and fearless extremity.
Intoxicated – The Dome (March 27, 2026)
Florida death-thrash veterans Intoxicated return with The Dome, their third full-length and a reaffirmation of their place in the state’s storied extreme metal lineage. Originally formed in 1993 and mentored early on by Chuck Schuldiner of Death, the band delivers unrelenting speed, razor-sharp riffs, and concise songwriting rooted in classic death-thrash tradition. The Dome channels decades of experience into a focused, high-impact assault.
Këkht Aräkh – Morning Star (March 27, 2026)
On Morning Star, Këkht Aräkh merges 90s black metal devotion with lo-fi warmth and experimental textures. Collaborators VS–55 and Varg2TM contribute abstract sampling and grainy atmospherics, while James Ginzburg‘s mastering enhances the album’s depth. The result is a deeply personal work that honors tradition while embracing subtle sonic evolution, marking both a continuation and an arrival for the project.
Lamb Of God – Into Oblivion (March 13, 2026)
Richmond metal titans Lamb Of God confront societal fracture head-on with Into Oblivion. Vocalist Randy Blythe frames the album as a commentary on the erosion of the social contract, a theme underscored by blistering singles like “Sepsis” and “Parasocial Christ.” Produced and mixed by longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur, the record was tracked across locations deeply tied to the band’s identity, delivering a furious yet reflective statement from modern metal mainstays.
Monstrosity – Screams From Beneath The Surface (March 13, 2026)
Florida death metal titans Monstrosity return after seven years with Screams From Beneath The Surface, a ferocious reaffirmation of their genre-defining brutality. Led by drummer and founder Lee Harrison, the revitalized lineup features longtime guitarist Matt Barnes, returning original bassist Mark Van Erp, and new vocalist Ed Webb (ex-Massacre), whose guttural power injects fresh venom into the band’s sound. Tracked between Audiohammer Studios with producer Jason Suecof and Morrisound Studios alongside Jim Morris, the album fuses classic and modern production muscle, cementing Monstrosity’s enduring dominance in extreme metal.
Emerging from the depths of Chile’s extreme metal underground, MORS.VOID.DISCIPLINE unleash their debut full-length Txketh)ëké, a 20-minute obliteration of bestial war metal and 90s-inspired goregrind. Preceded by the premiere of “Sanguinem In Anum Caprae Putrescentis Eiaculans,” the album has already been hailed as “inhuman, unhinged, hideously toxic, and perversely addictive.” Drawing on influences like Blasphemy and early Carcass, the band blends mangled riffs, pitch-shifted vocals, and occultly inflected horror into a cryptic, arcane soundscape.
Poison The Well – Peace In Place (March 20, 2026)
After years of milestone tours and sustained influence, metalcore pioneers Poison The Well return with Peace In Place, their sixth full-length. Produced by Grammy-winner Will Putney, the album channels the spirit of genre-defining releases like The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation while refracting it through decades of growth and perspective. Following a lengthy hiatus, the band’s renewed creative unity signals a powerful next chapter for a group whose legacy continues to resonate.
The Silver – Looking Glass Hymnal Blue (March 20, 2026)
Philadelphia’s The Silver aim for mythic scope on Looking Glass Hymnal Blue, an ornate and emotionally excavating work that builds on the exploratory spirit of their prior release. Recorded with engineer Richie DeVon and adorned with unified artwork by Paul Romano, the album blends ambitious compositions with introspective lyricism centered on reflection, memory, and fractured identity. Each song functions as both hymn and key, inviting listeners to confront the mirror and what lies beyond.
Temple Of Void – The Crawl (March 6, 2026)
Detroit doom/death crushers Temple Of Void delve into allegory and existential dread on The Crawl. Tracked in a frigid January week at Kurt Ballou‘s GodCity Studio, the album favors a raw, human feel, with massive guitar tones and in-the-room percussion. Lyrically grappling with life, consequence, and humanity’s darker impulses, The Crawl balances psychological horror with crushing sonic weight.
Vreid – The Skies Turn Black (March 6, 2026)
Norwegian stalwarts Vreid describe The Skies Turn Black as one of their most demanding yet rewarding creations. Emerging from a turbulent writing period, the album’s eleven tracks reflect struggle, recalibration, and artistic renewal. Produced alongside Anders Nordengen and adorned with artwork by Kim Holm, the record marks a confident evolution five years after their previous release, setting the stage for a major European tour.
Winterfylleth – The Unyielding Season (March 27, 2026)
UK atmospheric black metal torchbearers Winterfylleth offer pointed social commentary on The Unyielding Season, their ninth album and first with Napalm Records. Expanding on themes introduced in The Imperious Horizon, the band confronts the manifestation of looming malevolence with meticulously crafted poetry and sweeping compositions. It’s a rebellious, reflective work that continues their legacy of blending historical consciousness with cinematic black metal grandeur.
Witchcraft – A Sinner’s Child (March 13, 2026)
Swedish heavy rock icons Witchcraft return with the intimate five-track EP A Sinner’s Child. Following the acclaim of 2025’s IDAG, founder Magnus Pelander strips the sound to its essence, moving between proto-doom weight, luminous folk passages, and soulful acoustic dirges. Deeply personal and emotionally resonant, the EP serves as both epilogue and distillation–proof of the enduring power of melody, vulnerability, and stripped-down heaviness.
Eze, who became the first Arsenal player to score a Premier League hat trick against Spurs in a 4-1 win at the Emirates last November, extended his scoring streak against the side he rejected in favor of a move to his boyhood team from Crystal Palace last summer, netting twice. Meanwhile, Gyökeres (two second-half goals) produced his best performance since arriving from Sporting CP last summer. Although Randal Kolo Muani briefly gave Spurs hope for a positive result when he canceled out Eze’s first-half opener, new coach Igor Tudor suffered a heavy defeat in his first game in charge, and his team is facing a battle against relegation at the wrong end of the table.
With City turning up the pressure on Arsenal with a 2-1 home win against Newcastle on Saturday, Mikel Arteta’s team responded with character to claim victory against its local rival and deliver a message to City that it is prepared to go the distance in order to win its first league title since 2004. — Mark Ogden
Braces from Viktor Gyökeres and Eberechi Eze give Arsenal their 5th North London Derby win in a row! pic.twitter.com/8swPaZX0YU
Regardless of Tottenham’s current struggles, this was billed as a huge test of Arsenal’s character after the Gunners dropped four points against Brentford and Wolves in the past 10 days.
Manchester City cranked up the pressure even further with a 2-1 win over Newcastle, which cut the gap to just two points at kickoff, and when Randal Kolo Muani equalized at 34 minutes, catching Declan Rice in possession and finishing from a narrow angle beyond David Raya, they could have easily folded once again. However, the gulf in class between these two sides was obvious and, for once of late, Arsenal kept playing with purpose to eventually translate that superiority to the scoreline.
They might have been expected to win given that Spurs had only 13 senior fit players available and have won just two home league games all season, but nevertheless this is a result that should lessen — if not silence — the talk of Arsenal losing their ”bottle” with three months still to go. — James Olley
Let’s not deny it: Spurs are in a relegation battle
Igor Tudor now has 11 league games to save Tottenham Hotspur from relegation from the Premier League. It sounds incredible, but it’s a fact that everyone at the club needs to accept quickly.
Sunday’s heavy defeat left Spurs just four points above West Ham, who occupy the third relegation spot right now, but the Hammers, Nottingham Forest and Leeds have shown signs in recent weeks of being able to escape the drop zone. Spurs, meanwhile, haven’t won a league game in 2026, and they really don’t look close to ending that streak anytime soon if they continue to play without any kind of goal threat.
Their next fixture is a difficult trip to in-form London rivals Fulham before a potentially crucial home game against Crystal Palace on March 5. Alongside Spurs, West Ham, Leeds and Forest, Palace are the other team in the five-way battle to avoid the drop, and their form is almost as bad as Tottenham’s, with Oliver Glasner’s future as coach continuing to be a major question.
Spurs have the games to get themselves out of trouble, but when you haven’t won since December and your squad is lacking top quality and the ability to scrap, then you have a problem. Spurs have that problem, and denial about the situation they’re in could see them spiral toward a once-unthinkable relegation. — Ogden
Eze excels and Gyökeres produces his most important goal
Of all the failed transfer moves Tottenham have endured, their inability to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace last summer must haunt the club more than most. Spurs had agreed a £60 million deal with Palace only for Eze to choose to join the Gunners at the last minute.
How has he fared? Well, the 27-year-old has scored seven goals for Arsenal this season, with five of them coming against Tottenham. Amazingly, Eze’s 32nd-minute strike Sunday was his first shot on target in the league since his hat trick in November’s reverse fixture.
While Eze has struggled for consistent minutes this season, Viktor Gyökeres has faltered under the weight of expectation following his summer move from Sporting Lisbon. He wasn’t entirely convincing again Sunday, but his superb 47th-minute strike probably ranks as the most important goal he has scored for the Gunners. It might surprise you to know it was his 14th of the season, but many of those have come against weak opposition or late in games with the result already beyond doubt.
Spurs are of course 16th in the league, but the match was firmly in the balance when Gyökeres picked the ball up on the edge of the box and finished emphatically to restore the visitors’ lead. It is a moment that continues an upward trend of late and he built on it further in stoppage time — scoring the sort of goal we have seen more often to reach 15, muscling in on goal and curling the ball in from a narrow angle — as Arsenal counterattacked quickly. — Olley
Tottenham fans buy into Tudor … for now
The game was less than half an hour old when the Spurs fans started singing “Igor Tudor’s blue and white army,” and that was at least one positive for the new Tottenham coach during a humbling first game in charge.
It was the displeasure of the Spurs fans that sparked Thomas Frank’s downfall after half a season in charge, so the voice of the supporters does have an impact on decisions made at the top levels of all clubs. And although the Spurs hierarchy were initially resistant to calls for Frank to go, the combination of bad results and fan anger ultimately cost him his job earlier this month.
It’s very early days for Tudor, but the Spurs fans never warned to former Brentford coach Frank, so the fact that he already has buy-in from the supporters is something on which he can build.
Tudor was a left-field appointment, and the majority of fans were — and might still be — skeptical of the former Lazio and Juventus boss, but the tenacity and desire shown by the Spurs players early in this game was down to Tudor’s management and motivation and it impressed the supporters. The result clearly didn’t, and Spurs still have a long way to go, but the fans at least seem to believe in their new coach. — Ogden
Arsenal’s individual errors continue, but aren’t costly this time
Moments after Eberechi Eze gave Arsenal a 1-0 lead, Declan Rice could be seen on the pitch telling his jubilant teammates to stay focused and switched on. It was a message repeated from interviews he gave in the buildup to Sunday’s derby, citing a need to cut out individual mistakes that had cost Arsenal of late. And yet, just two minutes later, Rice was caught in possession deep in his own half by Randal Kolo Muani, who turned and drove a low finish past David Raya to make it 1-1.
It was the fourth such mistake leading to a goal in 2026 alone, following on from Gabriel Magalhães at Bournemouth, Martín Zubimendi against Manchester United and the mix-up between Gabriel and Raya at Wolves. This time it didn’t cost them three points, but there is still work to do to stop making games harder for themselves, as Rice rightly identified beforehand. — Olley
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Thursday night was a big one for La Cueva Senior Jordyn Dyer as she reached a career milestone: 2,000 career points, landing at 2,004. Others have reached the mark in girls’ high school basketball, but she is the first to do so at La Cueva. Dyer has averaged over 20 points per […]
Eric Church spoke about a wide range of his experiences with grief during a new appearance on Anderson Cooper’s All There Is podcast last week.
Some of the traumatic instances he discussed were collective grieving experiences. He spoke about the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival mass shooting as well as the 2023 mass shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School, which happened close to the school that Church’s own children were attending.
But one of the instances he brought up was a devastating personal loss that he hasn’t spoken about much. That was the death of his brother Brandon, who died in 2018 at just 36 years old.
Church admits he tends to “bury stuff like that” when it comes to grief emotions, and that he’s had to learn to talk more openly about what he’s feeling during those difficult times.
The singer also says he regrets not letting his two children be a part of one of his rawest moments after his brother’s death.
Eric Church Shares What He Regrets About How He Handles His Brother’s Death With His Kids
In the interview, Church admits it was a “mistake” not to bring his children to Brandon’s funeral. They were about seven and five years old at the time.
“We left them back with a relative,” he recounts. “At the time, it sounded like the exact right thing to do. ‘Cause I was a wreck. I was a mess. My family was a mess.”
In hindsight, though, he wishes the two boys had been able to be the adults in their lives navigating that grief.
“I look back on it now and sometimes it’s good for a child, if they’re in that age, to see everybody hurting, to see the life changing, to see what that death is,” Church continues. “So that’s one thing I regret. If I could go back, I would do that different.”
Eric Church Shares What He Regrets About His Relationship With His Late Brother
Church’s brother died of “consequences of chronic alcoholism,” according to an autopsy report that was subsequently released.
He suffered seizures before he died, which the autopsy revealed as “alcohol withdrawal-induced seizure disorder.”
In his new podcast appearance, Church alluded to the struggles that his brother was going through before he died, and recalls that Brandon spoke to him about what he was feeling.
Now, the singer says he regrets the way he reacted during that conversation.
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
“I did a little bit of the, ‘You’re not doing the things you’re supposed to be doing,’ and it was a little bit of the ‘tough love,’ big brother thing. I wish I’d had more grace and been more compassionate, now.
“But at the time, you think, ‘Oh, come on, get your s–t together.’ I regret that now,” Church reflects.
Eric Church Still Feels His Late Brother’s Presence — And His Grief is Ongoing
Church said he feels his late brother’s presence often, especially when he’s performing onstage. The singer has written and performed songs about Brandon, some of which, he says, will never be recorded.
He also says that his grief over that loss still comes in strong, unpredictable waves.
“It’s been eight years, and those things will come out of nowhere,” the singer reflects.
“I just don’t see it coming. That train’s not coming. And there it is,” he continues. “…You would think, after five, six, seven years, that wouldn’t happen, or they would be less frequent. But I’ve found that they’ve been more frequent over the last few years.”
Country Stars Who Suffered Unthinkable Tragedy
Not all country stars came by their storytelling ability naturally. Sadly, many singers have encountered great tragedies in their lives, or have overcome sharp odds to get where they are today. Many have battled unbearable, unimaginable pain.
Competing in the performance rounds at the Dixie National Rodeo for the first time, steer wrestler Garrett Oates made the most of the opportunity that came his way in Jackson, Miss., Feb. 21-22.
