WATCH: Carly Pearce Plays Voicemail From Loretta Lynn, Gives Tribute Performance Of ‘Dear Miss Loretta’ At The Grand Ole Opry
“We absolutely lost one of the greatest that there ever was and will be,” Pearce shared from the Opry stage.
Carly Pearce; Photos via Grand Ole Opry / YouTube
It was an emotional Tuesday night at the Grand Ole Opry as artists such as Jeannie Seeely, Chris Young, and Carly Pearce took the stage just hours after the death of country music icon Loretta Lynn.
Tuesday’s show turned into a celebration of Lynn’s life and contributions to country music as several artists paid homage to her during the show.
One of those tributes came from Grand Ole Opry member Carly Pearce, who took the stage to perform her song “Dear Miss Loretta” in honor of the late country music trailblazer.
“We absolutely lost one of the greatest that there ever was and will be and as I stand here tonight I feel overwhelmed with just the legacy and the beauty that she is and she was,” Pearce shared from the stage.
She went on to share the story of “Dear Miss Loretta” and her amazement over the fact that Lynn herself heard the song.
“And she heard me, which is quite crazy to me. I played this song on the Opry stage I debuted it, just like I’m going to do it tonight. Loretta happened to be watching the live stream of the Grand Ole Opry and heard me sing this song and I’ve never played this for anybody publicly, but I felt like tonight standing in the Opry stage and in the circle that the honky-tonk Angel, which she is now officially a honky-tonk angel, that maybe she wants me to do this. So, this is a message that I got from Loretta Lynn last year.”
Holding her phone, Pearce hit play on the voicemail message and Lynn’s voice played through the Opry house.
“Hi Carly, this is Loretta honey, I’m laying here in bed just taking it easy and I’m fixing to get up to wash my face and maybe comb my hair,” Lynn could be heard saying with a laugh. “I don’t know, I ain’t got no place to go, have I?”
Lynn’s message continued, “Anyway I love your song, thank you, sweetheart. I love you, honey. Hey, come and see me sometime!”
Pearce, who appeared to be holding back tears, then shared, “I’ve listened to that message a lot today and if that does not capture the purest form and the essence of her beautiful soul, I don’t know what else does. So, I love you too Loretta and I’m going to sing your song tonight.”
“Dear Miss Loretta” appears on Pearce’s critically acclaimed album, 29: Written In Stone and includes special guest vocals from Patty Loveless. The song was co-written by Pearce alongside Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark and serves as a letter from Pearce to Loretta Lynn
“I ain’t a coal miner’s daughter/ But my grandmother was/ Must be whiskey in the water/ Must be bourbon in the blood/ I’m a long way from Kentucky/ But the hurtin’s the same/ Now I know why you sang that way,” Pearce sings on the chorus.
The reigning ACM and CMA Female Artist/Vocalist Of The Year debuted the song on the Opry stage in March of 2021.
As a fellow Kentucky girl, Loretta Lynn’s music had a major impact on Carly Pearce and her music.
Following Lynn’s death, Pearce took to social media to mourn the loss of the country icon.
“She showed us all how to unapologetically tell the truth. One of the greatest there ever will be. I’ll be singing “Dear Miss Loretta” with a little extra love tonight at the @opry ♥️ Now she really is a Honky Tonk Angel,” she wrote.
Country music icon and Grand Ole Opry member, Loretta Lynn died at the age of 90 years old at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee in the early morning hours of Tuesday, October 4.
Hours after Lynn’s passing, her family shared the following statement.
“Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home at her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills,” the Lynn family said.
Lynn, who was born on April 14, 1932 in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, is known as the Queen of Country Music after forging a path as a singer, songwriter, and entertainer while balancing her role as a wife and mother.
Over the course of her iconic 60-year career, Lynn earned a staggering 51 Top 10 hits and 16 No.1 hits to her name, including “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Fist City” and “Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind).” She has also sold over 45 million albums worldwide.
Lynn has also garnered every accolade available in music from GRAMMY awards to induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. She has won four GRAMMY awards, seven American Music Awards and eight Country Music Association awards. She was the first woman to ever win the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music Awards for Entertainer of the Year.
She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008, and was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 2003 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.
Lynn’s death comes just days after she celebrated her 60th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. She joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1962.
Lynn was predeceased by her husband of 48 years Oliver Vanetta “Doolittle” Lynn, her daughter Betty Sue Lynn and son Jack Benny Lynn.
The legendary country singer is survived by her daughters Patsy Lynn Russell, Peggy Lynn, Clara (Cissie) Marie Lynn and her son Ernest Ray Lynn as well as grandchildren Lori Lynn Smith, Ethan Lyell, Elizabeth Braun, Tayla Lynn, Jack Lynn, Ernest Ray Lynn Jr., Katherine Condya, Alexandria Lynn, Jasyntha Connelly, Megan Horkins, Anthony Brutto, Jason Lynn, Wesley Lynn, Levi Lynn, Emmy Rose Russell, David Russell, Lucca Marchetti and step grandchildren David Greer, Jennafer Russell, Melody Russell and Natalie Rapp, and her great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to the Loretta Lynn Foundation. Information about a memorial service/celebration of life will be made available at a later date. For more information, visit LorettaLynn.com.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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