He graduated from Wayne County High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Eastern Kentucky University in 1992.

[2] During this time, he served as a voting member of the university's board of regents.

[4] He is a member of the Elk Spring Valley Baptist Church in Monticello, and sits on the board of Immanuel Christian Academy.

[5][1] Upchurch was selected by the Kentucky House Republican Caucus to serve as minority whip.

Currently, he serves as chair of the budget review subcommittee on transportation which is tasked to oversee financial matters relating to aviation, roads, infrastructure, commercial water travel, highway safety, the Kentucky State Police, automobiles, traffic regulations, tunnels, and driver's testing.