Rising Country Star To Honor America Live on NBC during Pre-Race Ceremonies
INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, July 14, 2017 – Breakthrough singer-songwriter Carly Pearce will perform the national anthem before the start of the Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 23 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Fueled with passionate vocals and effortless drive, Kentucky native Pearce is on the rise as her Big Machine Records’ debut single “Every Little Thing” ascends at Country radio. The feat solidifies her as the only solo female currently ranking into the Top 20 for airplay. Upon release, Pearce was named a “Highway Find” with the ballad charting at No. 1 on SiriusXM’s “The Highway” for three weeks as listeners gravitated toward her raw and emotional tone. Since, she has been touted as an Artist to Watch by Rolling Stone Country, The Huffington Post, Country Living, Sounds Like Nashville, The Boot, Whiskey Riff and One Country , in addition to being selected as a CMT Listen Up “17 for 2017” Artist.
“Carly Pearce is one of the most exciting new talents in country music, and our fans will enjoy her rendition of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,'” said J. Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. “We want to thank Big Machine for bringing Carly to IMS, as her performance is another example of how our unique partnership benefits fans of music and racing.”
Persistence paid off for Pearce, who began touring with a bluegrass band at age 11 and by age 16 was performing six times per day, five days per week at Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Over the last eight years in Nashville she has created with songwriters and continued to hone her craft at clubs around Nashville, while working odd jobs to pursue her dream.
That hard work helped Pearce receive more than 30 invitations to play the Grand Ole Opry and join bills alongside Kip Moore, Eli Young Band, Hunter Hayes and Lucy Hale of “Pretty Little Liars.” In 2016, she earned a coveted opening slot on Kelsea Ballerini’s THE FIRST TIME TOUR and also celebrated her first Top 40 hit, “Wasn’t That Drunk,” a collaboration with Josh Abbott Band.
Working with hit producer and songwriter busbee (Maren Morris, Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson), Pearce is set to release her debut album on Big Machine Records this fall.
The Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400 starts at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 23, featuring all of the stars of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Visit IMS.com to purchase tickets for all 2017 IMS events, including the Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400 and Lilly Diabetes 250 on July 21-23, and for more information on all events.