Carly Pearce Artistfacts

April 24, 1990
Carly Pearce was born Carly Cristyne Slusser in Taylor Mill, Kentucky. She took her stage name from her grandfather, an amateur musician who fostered her love for music from a young age.
Pearce's sound bridges the gap between contemporary country and the bluegrass traditions of her youth. Influenced by legendary artists like Patty Loveless and Tammy Wynette, she injects a dose of '90s country twang into her songs.
Her musical journey began at 11, performing with a bluegrass band. This early experience honed her skills and solidified her passion for country music.
At 16, Pearce successfully auditioned for the Country Crossroads show at Dollywood theme park in Tennessee. This opportunity required a leap of faith – convincing her parents to let her drop out of high school and move across state lines.

Dollywood was a training ground. Pearce performed five shows a week, home schooled in between, and sang backing vocals on bluegrass tracks.
In 2016, she independently released "Every Little Thing," a song that caught the attention of SiriusXM's The Highway channel. The buzz generated by the song landed her a record deal with Big Machine Label Group in early 2017. They re-released "Every Little Thing" with label backing, propelling it to become her official debut single and a major hit.
Pearce became a member of the prestigious Grand Ole Opry in 2021. This solidified her place among the genre's elite.
In October 2019, Pearce tied the knot with fellow country singer Michael Ray in a romantic ceremony in Nashville. Sadly, the fairytale didn't last. Just eight months after their wedding, Pearce filed for divorce in June 2020. Though details remain private, her song "What He Didn't Do" hints at the reasons behind the split.
Carly Pearce is a dedicated chewer, going through a pack or two of Orbit gum a day.
Carly Pearce has an unusual pre-show ritual: she and her band often sing in restrooms before performances. While it started as a fun, impromptu jam session, it became a habit because of the bathroom's natural acoustics. One particularly memorable moment happened when her guitar player stood up mid-performance, accidentally triggering an automatic toilet flush - an unexpected addition to their impromptu set!

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