Invested years building toward success
“I wouldn’t change anything about my personal journey in the industry. I had to figure out who I was as an artist. I’m glad this didn’t happen when I was twenty-one. I wouldn’t have appreciated it as much as I do now.” – Carly Pearce
It’s a long way from Taylor Mill, KY to Nashville, TN, but perseverance paid off for the 28-year-old singer-songwriter who never gave up on her dream.
The party celebrated ‘Every Little Thing’ topping Mediabase and Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Not only was it Carly’s first No. 1 single, it was also the first No. 1 for one of her co-writers, Emily Shackelton. busbee, who also produced the song, is a music industry veteran with a string of hits both as a songwriter and producer.
Carly’s whole life, she told us, has focused on music. She was speaking at a media session before the awards presentation. “I dreamed about being on stage since I was nine years old,” she said.
“I’m an only child, and my parents have always supported my dreams,” Carly said. When she was sixteen, her family relocated from Taylor Mill in Kenton County, KY, to East Tennessee so she could follow her dream by finding work at Dollywood, the entertainment complex and theme park owned by Dolly Parton. When that dream took her from Pigeon Forge to Nashville, she had to find ways to support herself, often with menial jobs such as cleaning Air B&Bs. She said that her parents’ support and encouragement kept her going, even when she became disheartened and didn’t feel she could go on.
Long way from Dollywood to Number One
It’s been a long journey from those days in her mid-teens at Dollywood to standing on a stage, holding an award for a Number One hit song. There have been ups and downs in her career, but “I wouldn’t change anything about my personal journey in the industry,” she said. “I had to figure out who I was as an artist. I’m glad this didn’t happen when I was twenty-one. I wouldn’t have appreciated it as much as I do now.”
Speaking about this special occasion, Carly revealed, “I’ve dreamt of what it would be like to have a No. 1 song since I moved to Nashville.” She continued, “If I am living proof of anything, it’s that one song can change everything. I have experienced that with my peers over the years and have listened to the stories behind the songs that changed other people’s lives.” She added that, at the time she recorded ‘Every Little Thing’ she had no idea that was going to be the song that changed her life.
Carly was scheduled to appear at The Grand Ole Opry the next evening. I asked her if it will be different this time, with a GOLD-certified single to her credit.
“I’m nearing my 50th Opry performance,” she said. “The Opry has always showed me support, even when I didn’t have a record deal or a publishing deal [and] I had nothing going on. It’s a special time every time I step on the Opry stage.”
Carly added, “I dream of being an Opry member one day.”
The song’s co-writer and producer, busbee, has written or produced songs for artists such as Christina Aguilera, Tony Braxton, Adam Lambert, Lady Antebellum and Gwen Stefani. I asked Carly what it was like working with busbee. Carly said that, when she first met him, she thought, “he’s more pop and I’m country. I’m not sure he’s going to ‘get’ me.” However, she soon realized that it was a great working relationship. “It was amazing,” she said. “Like it was meant to be.”
ACM nomination: “I just screamed!”
Carly was asked how she found out she had been nominated for an ACM award in the ‘New Female Vocalist of the Year’ category. She said she was in-flight on a plane when she received the news. “It’s hard to explain my feelings,” she said. “I just screamed!” She said that she used to sit on her couch, watching the show and dream of being nominated one day. Even if she does not win, “Being recognized in an honor on its own,” she emphasized.
Carly also talked about her experiences as part of Blake Shelton’s ‘Country Music Freaks Tour’ with Trace Adkins and Brett Eldridge. She said that Blake and Gwen Stefani were so kind to her. “Gwen is the most ‘down to earth’ person I’ve ever met, even though she’s a megastar,” Carly recalled. However, she admitted she was ‘too scared’ to ask Stefani for any fashion tips!
Learning how to ‘work’ an audience
Asked what she learned from the tour, Carly said, “I’m stronger than I think I am. I can go with less hours sleep than I thought I could!” She added that she learned a lot just from watching Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins. “They know how to ‘work’ an audience,” she said.
“If I am living proof of anything, it’s that one song can change everything.” – Carly Pearce
Carly is a true ‘country’ girl, born and raised in the small town of Taylor Mill in northeastern Kentucky, and is ‘pure country’ to her soul. Her next single, ‘Hide the Wine,’ is already climbing Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. More at https://www.carlypearce.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
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Emily Shackelton Co-writer Emily Shackelton, a native of Biwabik, Minnesota, is signed to Liz Rose Music/Warner-Chappell publishing in Nashville. In addition to ‘Every Little Thing,’ her first No. 1, her songs have been recorded by Wynona Judd, Sara Evans, Cassadee Pope and X-Factor winner Tate Stevens, among others.
Jason Aldean has revealed the one-night-only lineup from SunTrust Park for his HIGH NOON NEON TOUR stop at the new Atlanta Braves stadium, on July 21. Tickets will be available beginning 10:00 am ET, Friday March 23 at 
“Kip almost didn’t show up,” said Josh. “He was headed to the lake for some wake boarding.” We were reminded that Kip has a passion for the water, having been something of a ‘beach bum,’ surfing in Hawaii before making the commitment to come to Nashville.
Both Brett Young and Jesse Lee might seem like newcomers, but as with most successful people, that isn’t really the case. At the media session, Brett noted that he’d been playing and performing for 14 years before moving to Nashville.
Speaking about the diversity of his musical styles and interests, Brett said, “I grew up with rhythm and blues and soul music, so You will hear the soul in my music.”
In fact, many visitors, listening intently to their tour guides, might actually know more about those two venues than those of us who live and work here. It never hurts to remind ourselves just how important they are to the success of Nashville’s music industry.
story of a small number of remarkable people (mainly women, as it happens) whose tenacity, dedication and unwavering belief ensured that both the Ryman and the Bluebird are still thriving today.
But, like the Bluebird, the Ryman owes its current existence to a few people who were convinced that it was an essential part of Music City’s heritage. In 1920, Lula C. Naff was hired to manage the space, after working there for several years, booking acts for the Ryman in her spare time. Her tireless dedication kept the venue alive and thriving until her retirement in the 1950s. Since then, the Ryman has had two more female GMs.
Brett Young has landed on multiple Billboard Year End charts, as 2017 came to a close, including Top New Artists, the only Country artist to do so. He also landed at No. Two on the Year End Hot Country Songs, Country Digital Songs and Country Streaming Songs charts. ASCAP recognized his “quintessential breakout year,” honoring Young for one of the Most Played Songs of the Year with “Sleep Without You.” Young was named a TicketMaster New Favorite Artist of 2017 and was Shazam’s only Country act included on their Emerging Artists of 2017 list. He also drew prestigious CMA, ACM, Teen Choice Award, CMT Music Awards and AIMP Award nominations. 2018 is already shaping up to be another big year for Young, who is working on new music. He will perform at the College Football Playoff concert in Atlanta January 8 before joining ACM Male Vocalist of the Year Thomas Rhett on his LIFE CHANGES Tour. More info at brettyoungmusic.com.
As the curtain closed on a sold-out show at New York City’s Town Hall in December, multi-PLATINUM singer/songwriter Kip Moore took a bow to 2017, for what can only be described as a benchmark career year. Moore is wrapping up an overwhelming year on multiple “Best Of 2017” lists by Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, UpRoxx, Bobby Bones Show, Taste Of Country, Sounds Like Nashville, The Boot, PopMatters and Whiskey Riff for his revered third studio album SLOWHEART, while reflecting on his 4th career No. One for his single “More Girls Like You,” sold-out headlining shows, national TV appearances and more. 2018 tour dates etc at kipmoore.net.
And there’s a whole lot more! Check out the entire column online at