Carly Pearce used her CMA awards performance to honor her hero, the late Loretta Lynn. Pearce, who's nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, opened her performance with a heartfelt speech about Lynn's influence and how much the Lynn's music to her grandmother — another coal miner's daughter.
"I'm Carly Pearce. I grew up in Kentucky like the great Loretta Lynn," Pearce said. "My mee maw Pearce and I loved to listen to Loretta's songs together. I think mee maw loved Loretta so much because she too was a coal miner's daughter. I never met Loretta; always wished I would've. But I wrote this song and tribute to her because I so admire everything about her, especially the way she wrote about her life unapologetically. Loretta, this is for you."
Pearce shared the stage with Ricky Skaggs and Sonya Isaacs to perform "Dear Miss Loretta," which Pearce wrote with Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. Pearce recorded the song with Patty Loveless, who shared the stage with Chris Stapleton during this year's ceremony, for her 2021 release 29: Written in Stone.
Ricky Skaggs, Carly Pearce and Sonya Isaacs perform onstage at the 56th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 09, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Leah Puttkammer/FilmMagic)
"My grandma introduced to me to her music when I was a little girl, and made sure I understood that if I was going to sing country music being from Kentucky— I had to know the importance of Miss Loretta Lynn," Pearce wrote on Instagram last year. "I've always loved her, but it wasn't until the last year that I really FELT what she's sang about all these years — and just how much we really do have in common."
Though Pearce never met Lynn, the country icon did let Pearce know how much she loved and appreciated the song.
"This song means the world to me and you sang it on my favorite stage in the world," Lynn wrote in a message to Pearce in March of 2021. "I loved it and I love you! Maybe one of these days we can sing one together!"
Pearce also took the stage with Kelsea Ballerini and Kelly Clarkson to perform "You're Drunk, Go Home" from Ballerini's latest album Subject to Change.
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