Carly Pearce closes chapter on career-making '29' album with 'Live From Music City'

Recently, Carly Pearce bid "farewell" to a chapter in her career unlike any before it.

The Kentucky-raised country hitmaker released "29: Written in Stone (Live From Music City)," a concert album capturing a top-to-bottom performance of her critical and commercial breakout, "29: Written in Stone." The live album represents a closing of the creative chapter for Pearce as she begins eyeing new music in the near future.

The album debuted Friday via Big Machine Label Group.

Cut in front of an intimate audience at Marathon Music Works, "Live From Music City" includes guest appearances from country singers Ashley McBryde and Lee Brice, as well as bluegrass group the Isaacs, fiddler Jenee Fleenor and Christian music hitmaker Matthew West.

"Live records were always my favorite growing up," Pearce told The Tennessean, "and when I wrote this album, I had no idea what it was going to do for my career, but what it did was take everything to the next level. I really feel like I found my true, authentic self — from the songwriting, to the production to the live setting. I really just wanted people to be able to capture that and take it home with them, because this '29' era will forever be the most precious to me.

A divorce album capturing raw storytelling with classic country influence, "29" propelled Pearce from buzzed-about Music Row artist to an award-winning star who last year sold out multiple nights at the Ryman Auditorium. Behind the album, she earned a 2023 Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance (for "Never Wanted To Be That Girl," a duet with McBryde), won the 2021 award for CMA Female Vocalist of the Year and received an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry.

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Beyond awards, radio play and industry recognition, the nuanced stories on "29" endeared Pearce to listeners, who could relate to the hurt she sang about.

"As I have toured this album, I have seen a lot of people struggling or sad or hurting, and what I feel like this album has done and what this live show did, is it gave people a chance to escape and it gave them a sense of confidence back," Pearce said. "I saw people come into the show sad and leave the show strong. That was so powerful."

Now, Pearce views "Live From Music City" as a "thank you" to the showgoers who uplifted her during the album cycle, she said. "Live From Music City" features the entire album, plus a handful of hits that pre-date "29," including standout Brice collaboration "I Hope You're Happy Now."

"[The fans] gave me more than they will ever know," Pearce said. "I hope that by giving them this live album they can relive this and if they go through something hard again, maybe this can be the inspiration that can allow them to believe that they can get through anything again."

Those in Nashville wanting to catch Pearce live can see her April 11 the Grand Ole Opry (her 100th appearance on the show) or June 8 at CMA Fest.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Carly Pearce celebrates career-making album '29' with new live release