Carly Pearce

Did You Know?

• Her debut single "Every Little Thing" sold over 500,000 copies in the United States.
• She was invited by Dolly Parton to become a cast member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2021.

Early life

Her interest in country music came from her grandparents, who played it at home during her childhood; her stage name is based on her grandfather's last name. A home video saved by her family shows Pearce declaring she would one day perform on the Grand Ole Opry. She began performing professionally in mid-childhood, and at age 11 performed regularly with a bluegrass band, as well as in church and tent revival shows. At age 14, she performed at a boys prison. At 16, she auditioned for the Dollywood theme park's "Country Crossroads" show, was offered the job, and convinced her parents to move to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and let her drop out of high school. While at Dollywood, she enrolled in a homeschooling program and performed five times a week, often in several shows per day, also contributing vocals to bluegrass compilation albums.

Career

Pearce moved to Nashville, Tennessee, at age 19 to pursue a country music career, later describing her early years there as a "roller coaster." She signed a developmental deal with Sony Music Nashville in 2012, but lost it when her producer was fired. After that, she took part-time jobs, including cleaning Airbnbs, while networking in the industry. She met Pete Fisher, vice president and general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, who gave her the opportunity to perform on the Opry in 2015 before she had a recording contract.

Fisher also informed record producer Busbee about her, and Busbee signed her to a developing artist deal in 2015. In 2016, Pearce was featured on the Josh Abbott Band track "Wasn't That Drunk," which peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and led to a television performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. That same year, multiple Nashville record labels declined to sign her, and she was told by industry professionals to move home or pursue other interests.

Busbee produced a track co-written by Pearce titled "Every Little Thing," released independently, which gained widespread recognition on SiriusXM's The Highway channel. Following this, Pearce was offered multiple recording contracts and chose to sign with Big Machine Records.

Musical styles

Pearce's musical style is rooted in contemporary country and bluegrass, influenced by her early performances as part of a bluegrass band. She credits notable bluegrass artists such as Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, and Rhonda Vincent as influences. Her music has also been described as having elements of contemporary country; AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that her 2017 studio album "still bears all the hallmarks of contemporary country production," using electronic and R&B as flair. A Taste of Country review of that album mentioned several tracks, including "Catch Fire," as "pop-leaning" in sound. Pearce has also been inspired by late 1990s female artists, particularly Shania Twain and Trisha Yearwood, and by the career decisions of Faith Hill. She expressed a desire to emulate what Faith Hill was to the genre, aiming for a retro, cowhide, throwback to the 1990s with a new spin.

Personal life

In July 2018, Pearce confirmed she was dating fellow country singer Michael Ray; they became engaged in December 2018 and married on October 6, 2019, near Nashville, Tennessee. She filed for divorce in June 2020 after eight months of marriage. In 2021, she began dating former Minor League Baseball player Riley King, but they separated by June 2023. During summer 2023, she dated drummer B.C. Taylor, a member of her performing band and son of late musician B.E. Taylor; that relationship ended by summer 2024. In July 2025, Pearce announced she is in a relationship with entrepreneur Jordan Karcher.