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. Pearce first gained major recognition in 2017 when her self-penned "Every Little Thing" found an audience 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 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 2020 single "Next Girl" from 29, an EP released on February 19, 2021. On September 17, 2021, she released her third studio album 29: Written in Stone. Pearce is a three-time Country Music Association Award winner, a four-time Academy of Country Music Award winner, has received one CMT Music Award and one Grammy Award. She became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2021. Early life Pearce was born Carly Cristyne Slusser in Taylor Mill, Kentucky to Todd and Jackie Slusser. Pearce developed interest in country music from her grandparents, who regularly played it at home during her childhood. Her stage name is based on her grandfather's last name. In home video saved by her family, Pearce declared that one day she would perform on the Grand Ole Opry. In mid-childhood, she began performing professionally. 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 a boys prison. 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 to let her 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." 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.