Still in the emotional aftermath of the CMA Awards, I had several ideas for my column and eventually I opted for Carly Pierce because I like her music, she has personality and is tenacious. So, in absolute line with WIC, today she is the key player of “Music Can Save Your Soul”.
Born in Kentucky, Carly Cristyne Siusser (she would later take her grandfather’s surname Pierce), born in 1990, grew up listening to country music and bluegrass thanks to her grandparents and it is said that from a young age she knew she would play at the Grand Ole Opry.
Her early professional debut unrolls throughout her teenage years until she auditioned at “Country Crossroads”, a Dollywood theme park show that turns out to be the turning point towards songwriting where traditional and contemporary country music will blend with pop.
When she moved to Nashville at 19 she got a contract with Sony Music which unfortunately ended when the female producer was fired. In the turbulence that will follow, she will find part-time jobs while maintaining relationships with colleagues and industry personalities including Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton.
THE JOSH ABBOTT BAND
The collaboration with the Josh Abbott Band’s single “Wasn’t That Drunk” (listen to it here https://youtu.be/JvfImwcikFc), got 37th in the Billboard Country Airplay chart, attracted not only the attention of country radio but also of several labels despite not landing a record contract.
Meeting Michael James Ryan Busbee, professionally known as Busbee, an American singer-songwriter, record producer, publisher, record label manager and multi-instrumentalist, helped to change things.
BUSBEE COLLABORATION
2016 is the year of redemption: Busbee produced independently “Every Little Thing” (listen to it here https://youtu.be/pm6DHCpmIWg), the first single from her debut album which was well received and got well-deserved recognition. In November 2017 it peaks number 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay and sells 500,000 copies.
The album entered the charts at No. 4 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and No. 37 on the Billboard Top 200, and eventually got Pearce a record deal with country music label Big Machine Records.
MUSIC NOMINATIONS
Pearce also received nominations for the music awards and won Breakthrough Video of the Year in 2018 with “Every Little Thing” at the CMT Music Awards and a few days ago at the CMA Awards with “I Hope You’re Happy Now” (with Lee Brice) she won Musical Event of the Year.
Her journey is tiring, her path studded with painful surprises for her: a year ago she lost her friend and producer Busbee who, at only 43 years old, died of an aggressive form of brain cancer. I
n the middle of a pandemic, in July, she had to face a divorce after not even a year of marriage with fellow country singer Michael Ray, on Halloween a fearful fall causes her to break her front teeth causing more pain and stress especially for the fear that her face would not heal in time for the night of the CMA Awards.
Then Lee Brice was hit by Covid and on the country music biggest night’s stage Charles Kelley of Lady A (see them here https://youtu.be/Ejt6j6wXXOA) had him replaced.
Faith, the therapy, the nearness of family and friends, even the arrival of a dog were important for Carly to overcome the struggle in these painful and difficult moments but definitely instrumental was the music.
Like sap flowing inside, motivating, like fresh air in a room with stale air and a breathtaking when all you see in front of you is a grey wall, music is everything and it’s always there whenever we need it.
That’s how a woman stands up, that’s how she gets back to her life and looks to the future.Carly Pierce is ready for a fresh restart after the CMA Awards, prouder, stronger and more tenacious than ever with new projects and sound we hope to see as soon as possible.
Much Love, Layla Forgiarini
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