Carly Pearce is fulfilling one of her dreams this summer, when she becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The 31-year-old, who was invited to join by Dolly Parton, vows to maintain her commitment to the hallowed institution for the rest of her life.
“I feel like everybody has a different idea of what the Opry is for them,” Pearce shared with Everything Nash and other outlets at a virtual media event. “For me, it has always been something that, if I was ever lucky enough to be a member, it wouldn’t be just a moment or a press-off, or a little flash in the pan. It’s a lifelong commitment to keep the circle unbroken for me. It is my duty as someone in this generation — I have sat in a room with Jeannie Seely, with Trisha Yearwood, and they’re looking at me saying, ‘We feel confident in you, to pass you the baton.’
“So I feel like it’s my responsibility in this generation, and probably the way Trisha felt in Jeannie’s generation, to keep it and preserve it in the way that it needs to,” she continues. “I know that Carrie Underwood has done such a great job of that, and I feel like I want to follow in her footsteps of making it a part of who I am. Not just something that I check off of the list.”
Dreams come true… sometimes even better than you dare to dream ♥️ I couldn’t be more happy or honored the be the newest member of the @opry 🥲 https://t.co/HOjuD7WALe
— Carly Pearce (@carlypearce) June 23, 2021
Pearce has plenty more that she wants to accomplish besides being part of the Grand Ole Opry, all centered around her love of country music.
“I feel like if you continually strive for more, that’s what makes you a great artist,” Pearce said. “That’s what makes you successful. I want more of it all. I just really want to be a staple. I want to be a household name. Like when you say Dolly and Loretta and Trisha and Faith and Miranda and Carrie, I want you to say Carly. That just makes me want to continue to raise the bar for myself in everything I do.”
Pearce will be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on August 3. Tickets are available at Opry.com. Pearce’s induction comes right after she starts serving as the opening act on Lady A’s What a Song Can Do Tour. Find dates at CarlyPearce.com.