Eric Church’s University of North Carolina Commencement Speech: Watch

Eric Church was born and bred in North Carolina, and he gave back to his community on Saturday when he gave a moving commencement speech to graduates of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by a rendition of his “Carolina.”

Church, who wore a graduation gown and sunglasses, strummed his guitar during the speech and used its strings as a metaphor for living a harmonious life. “Six strings, six strings of life and willingness to keep them in tune,” he told the students. “Six principles, six pillars. When all six are in tune with each other, the chord your life makes is full and resonant and true. [But] all six will drift. Not one or two. All six. In their own time, in their own season.”

After detailing how faith, family, marriages, and communities can all add discord to a life, he brought it back to the metaphor. “The difference between a life that sounds like music and a life that sounds like noise is whether you stop and listen, whether you’re honest enough to hear which string has drifted out of tune and humble enough to make the adjustment instead of just turning up the volume and hoping nobody notices,” he said. “Because you will notice. The part of you that knows what the chords should sound like will always notice. It will not let you go. Life won’t be right until it is tuned. Trust what your heart hears and what it’s telling you about your song.

“So graduates, now I encourage you to take your six strings, make it something worth hearing, and play your song as I leave you with mine,” he continued before singing the chorus to “Carolina,” the title track of his second album, released in 2009. Watching the students in their blue caps and gowns move to the music, you could tell they were moved by his words and music.

Church was born in Granite Falls, North Carolina, and graduated from Appalachian State University with a marketing degree. His eighth studio album, Evangeline vs. the Machine, came out last year. “Thank you for calling me home,” he said at the end of his speech.