Carly Pearce

Carly Pearce (born Carly Cristyne Slusser; April 24, 1990) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her material contains elements of both traditional and contemporary country-pop music. Pearce began performing professionally in her teens, appearing on several albums of bluegrass material in the 2000s. After moving to Nashville, Tennessee, she began gaining more widespread notice.

Carly Pearce
Pearce at the CMA Music Festival, 2017.
Born
Carly Cristyne Slusser

(1990-04-24) April 24, 1990
Taylor Mill, Kentucky, U.S.
Occupation
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2006–present
Spouse(s)
​
(
m. 2019;
sep. 
2020)
Musical career
GenresCountry
InstrumentsVocals
LabelsBig Machine
Associated acts
Websitecarlypearce.com

Pearce first gained major recognition in 2017 when her self-penned "Every Little Thing" found acclaim on satellite radio. The song helped Pearce secure a major label recording contract and became a major hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. Her debut album of the same name debuted in the top five of the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Pearce has since released new material, including the 2019 single, "I Hope You're Happy Now".

Early life

Pearce was born Carly Cristyne Slusser in Taylor Mill, Kentucky[1][2] to Todd and Jackie Slusser.[3] Pearce developed an interest in country music from her grandparents, who regularly played it at home while she was a child.[1] Her stage name is based on her grandfather's last name.[4] In home video footage saved by her family, Pearce declared that one day she would perform on the Grand Ole Opry. In mid-childhood, she began performing professionally. Starting at age 11, Pearce performed regularly with a Bluegrass band. She also performed in church and tent revival shows. At age 14, she performed at an all-boys prison.[5]

At age 16, Pearce auditioned for the "Country Crossroads" show, a program part of the Dollywood theme park. After being offered the job, she convinced her parents to move to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (the location of Dollywood) and drop out of high school. Reflecting on the experience in 2017, Pearce commented, "Performing at Dollywood was a key part of my journey to finding myself and finding my way."[6] While performing at Dollywood, she enrolled in a homeschooling program. The online course allowed Pearce choices to pursue collegiate opportunities post-graduation if she so desired. Pearce commented that the online program was similar to a college course in that her "parents wouldn't have to do anything".[7] During her time at the park, Pearce performed at Dollywood five times a week, often in several shows per day. Additionally, she contributed her vocals to compilation albums of bluegrass music.[2]

Career

2009–2015: Early beginnings

Pearce moved to Nashville, Tennessee at age 19 to pursue a country music career.[8] She would later describe her early years in Nashville similar to a "roller coaster" ride.[7] She signed a developmental deal with Sony Music Nashville in 2012.[9] The female producer Pearce was collaborating with was fired from the label. With the producer's termination, Pearce lost her deal with Sony. She later said that experience of having an opportunity and then losing it was difficult. In a 2017 interview with Nash Country Daily, Pearce commented, "Of course there were moments that I wanted to quit music. My condo has seen many tears and heard many prayers at night. I’ve always known I wanted to do this, and like I said a little earlier, when you open your brain to still staying in the game and waiting it out and fighting and really understanding that this is a business."[8] After losing the opportunity, she took a series of part-time jobs to help make ends meet. Among these jobs was cleaning Airbnb's.[10]

While working part-time jobs, Pearce began networking with other performers and executives in the country music industry. Around this time, she met Pete Fisher who was the vice president and general manager of the Grand Ole Opry. Fisher was responsible for providing Pearce the opportunity to perform on the Opry in 2015 (which was before she had a recording contract). From their professional relationship, Fisher informed record producer busbee about her musical abilities and interests. In 2015, busbee signed her to a developing artist deal.[11] In 2016, Pearce was featured on the track "Wasn't That Drunk" by the country group Josh Abbott Band. Released as a single that year, it peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.[2] Her performance on the song allowed Pearce to gain exposure to country radio stations.[8] She also performed with the Josh Abbott Band on television, including a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live![9]

2016–present: Breakthrough success

In 2016, Pearce was being brought to the attention of multiple Nashville record labels. However, all had declined to officially sign her. Looking back on the experience, she commented in an interview with Forbes, "For me, this was my only option because I could not get a record deal...I had so many meetings. Everybody knew me by name. People told me to move home. I had so many showcases. I knew that I had to show people why I was worthy of it."[12] The same year, busbee produced a track co-written by Pearce entitled "Every Little Thing". Released independently, it was picked up for radio airplay on Sirius XM's The Highway channel, where it received widespread recognition.[11] Following its recognition, Pearce was offered multiple recording contracts. She ultimately chose to sign with Big Machine Records, explaining, "I got to build a career on signing with a record label that viewed me as a partner and not as an artist who didn't know who she was."[12]

"Every Little Thing" was officially released as a single to country radio in February 2017.[8] By November, the song had become a major hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart[13] and number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.[14] "Every Little Thing" sold over 500,000 copies in the United States, receiving a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.[15] Pearce's debut studio album was released the same year, also named Every Little Thing. The album debuted at number four on the Billboard Top Country Albums list short after its release.[2] It also reached number 32 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.[16] The album received critical acclaim by music writers and critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave the release four of five stars calling "polished professionalism", but also contrasting it to the bluegrass musical style of earlier career work. In his concluding statement Erlewine commented, "her showbiz and country roots are inextricably entangled, a singer with a feel for the past but an eye for the present."[17] Jewly Hight of NPR also praised the album, drawing similarities between her vocals and that of artists such as Alison Krauss and Trisha Yearwood.[18]

During this time, Pearce established herself further with further musical projects. This included touring with Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett and Blake Shelton.[19] Her next single release, "Hide the Wine", was spawned from her 2017 album.[20] It became Pearce's second major hit, reaching number 13 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in 2018.[21] The same year, she issued a single that was to be the lead release of her upcoming second studio album. Entitled "Closer to You", the song was released in November 2018[12] and reached the top 40 of the Billboard country charts.[22] In October 2019, Pearce released a second single from her unreleased second studio album. The song, "I Hope You're Happy Now", was a duet with country artist Lee Brice. She co-wrote the track with several other singer-songwriters including Luke Combs.[23] The single's success led to her self-titled second studio album to be issued in February 2020. It would be busbee's final production project before his death in 2019.[2] It debuted at number six on the Top Country Albums list[24] and number 73 on the Billboard 200.[25] Jason Scott of American Songwriter gave it three of five stars and called the album an example that "illustrates an artist learning, growing, and embracing the good, the bad, and ugly."[26]

In June 2020, Pearce revealed that she was recording new music and that her next single will not be a track off of her second album.[27]

Musical styles

Pearce's musical style is rooted in the contemporary country and bluegrass genres.[2] Her musical experiences included performing as part of a bluegrass band. These early performances influenced the style she would later create. Pearce has also credited notable bluegrass artists for their influence on her. This includes Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs and Rhonda Vincent.[28] Pearce's music has also been described as having elements of contemporary country. When reviewing her 2017 studio album, Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that it "still bears all the hallmarks of contemporary country production. It's crisp and nimble, using electronic and R&B as flair that accentuates the songs."[17] In Taste of Country's review of Pearce's 2017 album, it was mentioned that several album tracks (such as "Catch Fire") were "pop-leaning" in their sound.[29]

In addition to bluegrass performers, Pearce has also been inspired by contemporary country artists. She has credited "late 1990s" female artists as major influences, notably Shania Twain and Trisha Yearwood.[30] Pearce was also inspired by the career decisions of female country artists, including Faith Hill. In an interview with Good Morning America, Pearce commented that she wanted her career choices to resemble Hill's: "I really want to be like what Faith Hill was to our genre back then. I love country music so much, and I wanted to do a little bit of that retro, cowhide, kind of throwback to the '90s ... but, like, a new spin on it."[31]

Personal life

In July 2018, Pearce confirmed that she was dating fellow country singer Michael Ray.[32] Pearce admitted to Taste of Country that she met him though writing comments onto his Instagram account. Upon their first interactions, Ray did not understand Pearce's intentions.[33] They became engaged on December 19, 2018.[34] Ray proposed to Pearce at a beach resort in Tulum, Mexico, alongside Pearce's family who also attended the vacation.[35] The two were married on October 6, 2019 near Nashville, Tennessee.[36] In June 2020, Pearce filed for divorce from Ray after eight months of marriage.[37]

Discography
Main article: Carly Pearce discography

Studio albums

Awards and nominations
Year Association Category Work Result Ref
2018 ACM Awards New Female Vocalist of the Year Carly Pearce Nominated [38]
CMT Music Awards Breakthrough Video of the Year "Every Little Thing" Won [39]
Female Video of the Year Nominated
2019 ACM Awards New Female Vocalist of the Year Carly Pearce Nominated [40]
CMT Music Awards Female Video of the Year "Closer to You" Nominated [41]
CMA Awards New Artist of the Year Carly Pearce Nominated [42]

Tours

Headlining

Supporting

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References
  1. "What it's like to drop out of high school to become a country music star". Yahoo!. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  2. Deming, Mark. "Carly Pearce biography". Allmusic. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  3. Reinert, Melissa (April 6, 2015). "Taylor Mill native living her dream in Nashville". Cincinnati. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  4. Dukes, Billy (February 14, 2020). "The Real Carly Pearce Just Stood the Heck Up: 'I Know Who I Am'". Taste of Country. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  5. Tingle, Lauren. "Every Little Thing That Made Carly Pearce". Country Music Television. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  6. Bowman, Bethany. "Music Spotlight: Carly Pearce". Tennessee Star. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  7. Scott, Jason. "Interview: Carly Pearce digs deep for powerful new single 'Every Little Thing'". AXS TV. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  8. Casey, Jim. ""Every Little Thing" Singer Carly Pearce Shares 10 Little Things That Shaped Her Into Who She Is Today". Nash Country Daily. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  9. Burchard, Jeremy. "How Carly Pearce Went from Teen Dollywood Singer to Budding Country Star". Wide Open Country. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  10. Snapp, Lauryn. "Carly Pearce's Real-Life Cinderella Story". iHeart Radio. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  11. Gugala, Jon. "How 'Every Little Thing' Singer Carly Pearce Defied Odds With Risky Song". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  12. Black, Lauren. "How Carly Pearce Became Country Music's New 'It Girl'". Forbes. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  13. ""Every Little Thing" by Carly Pearce chart history: Country songs". Billboard. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  14. ""Every Little Thing" by Carly Pearce chart history: Country Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  15. Nicholson, Jessica. "Carly Pearce's "Every Little Thing" Goes Gold". Music Row. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  16. "Every Little Thing (album) chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  17. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Every Little Thing -- Carly Pearce -- Reviews". Allmusic. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  18. Hight, Jewly. "Review: Carly Pearce, 'Every Little Thing'". NPR. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  19. "Carly Pearce brings the "girl power" for Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett and Rascal Flatts". ABC News. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  20. Fields, Taylor. "Carly Pearce Explains The Relatable Story Behind "Hide The Wine"". iHeart Radio. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  21. ""Hide the Wine" chart history: Country Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  22. ""Closer to You" chart history: Country Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  23. Jim Casey (September 27, 2019). "Carly Pearce and Lee Brice Team Up for Powerful New Single, "I Hope You're Happy Now" [Listen]". Nash Country Daily. Archived from the original on November 29, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  24. "Carly Pearce (album) chart history: Top Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  25. "Carly Pearce chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  26. Scott, Jason. "Carly Pearce Mines Richer Emotional Depths On Self-Titled Sophomore Album". American Songwriter. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  27. Lenehan Vaughn, Grace (July 16, 2020). "Carly Pearce Returns to the Studio to Record New Music". Sounds Like Nashville. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  28. Ladd, Olivia. "Carly Pearce Builds Her Confidence with 'Closer to You'". The Boot. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  29. Houghton, Cillea. "Album Spotlight: Carly Pearce Every Little Thing". Taste of Country. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  30. Rowe, Olivia. "Exclusive: Carly Pearce Shares the Journey Behind Her Music". Pop Culture. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  31. Hubbard, Stephen. "Carly Pearce talks being inspired by Faith Hill and husband Michael Ray on second album". Good Morning America. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  32. Whitaker, Sterling (July 19, 2018). "Carly Pearce and Michael Ray Confirm They're Dating". Taste of Country. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  33. Dukes, Billy. "Carly Pearce was Crushing Hard on Michael Ray for a Long Time". Taste of Country. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  34. Stecker, Liv (December 22, 2018). "Carly Pearce and Michael Ray Are Engaged!". The Boot. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  35. Kruh, Nancy. "Inside Michael Ray's Surprise Proposal to Carly Pearce: The Laughter, Tears and That Ring!". People. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  36. Kruh, Nancy (October 6, 2019). "They're Married! Michael Ray and Carly Pearce Tie the Knot in 'Whimsical' Wedding — All the Details". People. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  37. Kruh, Nancy (June 22, 2020). "Carly Pearce Files for Divorce from Michael Ray After Less Than a Year of Marriage". People. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  38. "ACM Awards: Nominees". Academy of Country Music. Academy of Country Music. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  39. "2018 CMT Music Awards: The Winners". CMT.com. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  40. "ACM Awards 2019: Full list of nominees". CBS News. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  41. Freeman, Jon (June 6, 2019). "2019 CMT Music Awards: The Complete Winners List". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  42. Freeman, Jon. "Maren Morris Leads 2019 CMA Awards Nominations". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  43. Reuter, Annie. "Carly Pearce Plots 2019 Co-Headlining Tour With Russell Dickerson". Taste of Country. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  44. McDonald, Teddy. "Carly Pearce On Tour Mate Brett Young: We're A Good Package Deal". WKML 95.7 Today's Country. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  45. Thompson, Gayle. "Carly Pearce Wraps Up Back to Us Tour With Rascal Flatts". Pop Culture Country. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  46. Casey, Jim. "Luke Bryan Extends His "What Makes You Country Tour" With Jon Pardi, Morgan Wallen, Carly Pearce & More". Nash Country Daily. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  47. "C2C 2019 – Full London lineup plus Aftershow parties announced and who we think you really won't want to miss seeing in March!". January 30, 2019.
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