Eric was selected as the 2019 Artist-in-Residence by the city of Lanesboro, MN and was commissioned to create the work and album release titled Root River Vibes. He proposed the idea of gathering and recording stories from local residents and composing music inspired by the stories and experiences in the Root River area. Much of this time was spent biking different areas of the Root River State Trail and finding sunny spots next to the river to create and record. By the end of his 4 weeks, He had composed and recorded a 23-track album of music and stories inspired by his time there.