Carly Pearce Makes Opry History In London

As the Grand Ole Opry celebrates its 100th anniversary with a special night at London’s Royal Albert Hall, Carly Pearce is right at the heart of it. Speaking with us ahead of the show, the Kentucky-born star reflected on her lifelong connection to the Opry, her journey from Dollywood to Opry membership, a new collaboration with Jordan Davis, and why UK audiences feel like home.

“Two worlds colliding” at Royal Albert Hall

For Pearce, the Opry’s first century meeting one of the world’s most iconic venues feels tailor made. “The Opry is my favourite thing, and the UK is one of my favourite places to be, so I feel like two worlds are colliding,” she told us. A frequent performer on the Opry stage, Pearce sees this London celebration as a chance to share the circle’s magic with fans who have never made the trip to Nashville.

A bond that began in childhood and led to membership

Pearce’s relationship with the Opry started long before her first appearance. “Even when I was five years old, my parents and grandparents knew that was my dream,” she said. Her debut came in May 2015, a moment she remembers in vivid, humbling detail. “I thought I was going to throw up all over the circle. I put my hands down in the circle to really understand that everybody I had ever loved had stood there.”

In 2021 the dream became permanent when Dolly Parton inducted her as a member. “It was the highlight of my career,” Pearce said. “Dolly has been a fixture for me since I was a little girl, and I even quit high school to work at Dollywood.”

Dollywood days and a work ethic that still drives her

At 16, Pearce was performing six shows a day, five days a week at Dollywood. That grind shaped everything that followed. “Sometimes I do not want to play the show, that is the honest truth,” she admitted with a laugh. “But I go back to that girl who knew people paid money to see a show, and I show up.” Colleagues, she says, describe her as a hard worker, a trait she credits to those formative years on stage.

London crowds that “get it”

Ask Pearce what makes UK shows special and she lights up. “The London crowd gets me in a way that I do not always feel understood other places,” she said. “They buy into the integrity of the artist. They love album cuts. They love the full project. They know more about you sometimes than you know yourself.” It is why the Opry coming to London “makes complete sense” to her.

A secret she has saved for five years

Pearce teased a moment in her Royal Albert Hall set that she has been trying to pull off for half a decade. “It never worked out and now I get why. It was meant for this performance,” she said. “London crew, you are getting something so special.” No spoilers, but the excitement in her voice did the heavy lifting.

Friendship and a new song with Jordan Davis

Pearce also touched on her latest release with Jordan Davis, a collaboration years in the making. The two first crossed paths in Nashville in their early twenties. “We were trying to write a song together and our schedules were not working,” she recalled. “He sent me this song and said, ‘I wrote this for us.’ I got through the first chorus and I was in. Jordan knows how to write hit songs.”

Abbey Road, Royal Albert Hall and a week of pinch-me moments

In the lead up to the show, Pearce planned a rehearsal at Abbey Road Studios and some time to enjoy the city. “I love it here, so I am going to do all the tourist things,” she smiled. She has never performed at Royal Albert Hall and expects it to be “mind blowing.”

Quick-fire revelations

A few rapid questions brought out more of Pearce’s musical compass and sense of fun:

• Dream country collaboration: Cody Johnson.
  
• Artist she is excited to see at the Opry: Sabrina Carpenter, “I just want to go to see her.”
  
• Country singer she would want to be stuck in a lift with: Russell Dickerson, “because he would make it really entertaining.”
  
• Albums she wishes she had played on: Home by The Chicks, or Call Me Crazy by Lee Ann Womack.
  

What the Opry means to Carly Pearce

When asked to sum up the Opry in a single word, Pearce paused. “Heartbeat,” she decided, then offered a second, “everything.” The Opry, she said, “signifies and symbolises everything of what it means to really love country music.”

Key takeaways

• Expect a special London-only moment in her set that she has been saving for years.
• Carly Pearce brings a deeply personal Opry story to Royal Albert Hall, from a 2015 debut to 2021 induction by Dolly Parton.
• UK audiences hold a special place for her, thanks to their passion for full albums and deep cuts.
• A new duet with Jordan Davis underscores a long friendship and shared rise in Nashville.