Carly Pearce Had To Return To Kentucky Before Debuting Her Latest Album

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Carly Pearce is connecting with her fans through her latest album 29: Written in Stone, and she recently explained how the album’s visuals take her back to her Kentucky roots. Pearce’s hometown is Taylor Mill, Kentucky, and the country singer-songwriter still feels a connection to her home even after she moved to Nashville.

The “Next Girl” singer nodded to a few fellow artists from Kentucky who paved iconic paths in country music, and acknowledged that her producer, busbee, who died of brain cancer, inspired her decision to return to Kentucky. Pearce said in a statement shared by her record label:

“Kentucky has meant so much to me for my entire life. It’s where I first found country music. It is where my grandparents raised me and I understood what it meant to be a lady. And the music of Kentucky, people like the Judds and Patty (Loveless) and Loretta (Lynn) and Ricky Skaggs and Bill Monroe, and all of these pioneers of the genre that I love so much, they all came from here. And I feel like we all have a common thread of, there’s a texture of mountain singing to all of us. And when I went on this discovery after losing busbee, I felt like I went back to my roots musically, and in my heart went back to my roots, and visually I wanted this project to encapsulate truly going back to my roots, to the place where I found country music.”

Pearce released 29: Written in Stone in September, and it’s “the most personal music that I’ve ever put out.” The 15-track collection is packed with hit heartbreak anthems, including “Diamondback,” “What He Didn’t Do,” “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” and even another nod to Kentucky with “Dear Miss Loretta,” featuring Patty Loveless. Find 29: Written in Stone on iHeartRadio here.