I love live music. It is in every fiber of my being. I have been around it my whole life because I come from a musical family. So it’s really no surprise that my happy place is wherever there is music playing. I find my way to hear live music any chance I can. Never heard of the artist, that’s okay, I’ll still check them out. I’m notorious for entering contests for free tickets and had a pretty good winning streak for a while.
Winning tickets to the CMT’s Next Women Of Country show in Nashville in May is how I was introduced to the incredibly talented Carly Pearce. Carly was an opening act and I had never heard of her before the show. I was immediately drawn in by her vocals. She has a pure voice that reaches out and grabs your attention. Her personality on stage was also a key point for me. I watched her belt out tunes and notes that veterans of the music scene would be envious of, with ease. After she finished her set and the rest of the performers took the stage I was puzzled. She clearly blew them out of the water. How was she just an opening act and how had I never heard of her before tonight?
I went home and found her on social media. This would turn out to be an excellent decision on my part. A few weeks later while scrolling through my Twitter feed I see a tweet from Carly announcing she will be doing a free acoustic show at the Ulta makeup store in Nashville. I checked my work schedule immediately and I was off. I made plans to go. I reply to the tweet 
asking for the address and directions and was surprised to get a tweet from Carly with the information pretty quickly. I show up for the show and there are only a handful of people there to see Carly, the rest are just shoppers browsing the store. I learned upon arriving that Carly was sponsored by Essence Cosmetics and we could get free makeovers and sample products for being there. What a great bonus. I was able to meet Carly for the first time.
Someone from Essence took our picture and I was asked if I was planning on seeing Carly at the Opry the next night for her Opry debut. I told them I didn’t know she was going to be at the Opry and I’d love to go but probably couldn’t afford it. Carly sang a few songs and signed autographs. While enjoying the show the Essence Cosmetics lady came over and told me that I had won 2 tickets to see Carly’s Opry debut and entrance into the private after party at the Acuff House after the Opry was over. I was so excited.
The show at the Opry was beautiful. It was a surreal to know you were watching the exact moment someone’s dreams were coming true. Between songs Carly told the story behind the boots she 
was wearing. She said her parents had purchased them for her about 3 years ago but held onto them for her so she could wear them her first time on the Opry stage. And she did! I was a proud new fan. When the show finished a select few Carly fans were treated to the after party at the Acuff house. It was an intimate time where Carly answered fans questions, sang requests (including Loretta Lynn’s “Kentucky Girl”) and ended the evening with free bags of makeup and pictures with everyone. Carly showed her fans how personable and down to earth she was. It is a night I’ll never forget.
I’ve had several opportunities to see Carly perform since that night and each time I see her I am completely blown away. True talent and a genuinely beautiful person inside and out is what I tell everyone about Carly. She cares about her fans and takes time for them. I saw Carly out in Nashville one night. We had both went to a show for her friend Elise Hayes. I saw Carly but didn’t want to approach or bother her, but when she saw me from across the room she stopped what she was doing and came over to me. That spoke volumes to me. I know not every artist can or will do this, so it is something I treasure.
I am looking forward to the next time I can hear her play. She has concerts coming up at The Ryman at the end of November and The Bluebird Café in December and I plan to be at them. I truly am a believer in supporting the artists you believe in and supporting live music in general. I hope if you ever are presented the opportunity to hear Carly Pearce live you take it. Check her tour page and see if she will be near you soon www.carlypearce.com Carly has an EP on iTunes that is phenomenal and a duet on the Josh Abbott Band’s newest album that will blow you away.