Carly Pearce

So that was always in the home.

And when they figured out that I loved country music, they kind of taught me what the Opry was.

And my grandpa would buy me these CD decades of all the different eras of country music.

And he just really wanted me to understand who came before me

And so they both, my grandma passed away when I was 14.

My grandpa passed away when I was 18.

And they knew that my life dream was to sing on the Opry.

And when I was 18, I went to see my grandpa for the last time when he's in the hospital.

And he knew I was taking a meeting in Nashville and he was like, you're gonna be late.

You gotta go, you gotta go.

And they just, I wanted to honor them in some way.

So although it's not my legal last name, it feels so important.

And now when I go back to the area where we all lived and where I feel like my whole love of country music started, the signs that say home of Carly Pierce and it's like their name is carrying on forever.

into country music history, which I'm the only grandchild.

And it's just like a really special thing for me that continues to just keep them alive for me.

And I get to talk about them.

And again, like all these years later, it's like, they still live on.

She has like moments of both, but she'll tell you.

I mean, she convinced a vocal coach when I was six.

She's like, I'm telling you, like she has great pitch and she's got rhythm.