Dolly Parton Surprises Carly Pearce with Invite to Join the Grand Ole Opry: 'This Takes the Cake!'
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Carly Pearce is making country music history as the latest member of the Grand Ole Opry.
The singer-songwriter, 31, received a surprise invitation from music legend Dolly Parton to become an official member of the iconic music venue.
Parton, 75, surprised Pearce with the news last week while she was filming what she thought was a promo video for Dollywood. Pearce collapsed into tears upon getting the information from her music idol.
Alexa Campbell Dolly Parton and Carly Pearce
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"Are you serious?!" she exclaimed in the emotional video capturing the surprise, which was Parton's first time asking someone to become a member of country's longest-running institution.
It also marked a full-circle moment for Pearce, who got her start performing at Parton's Tennessee amusement park as a teenager.
"Dolly is not only one of America's greatest living songwriters, vocalists, entertainers and superstars," the Kentucky native raved. "She represents all of the values country music holds for me. She has the grace of a woman in full, a heart that is all love, the grit to get it done, the courage to stand up for herself and just enough glitter to be everyone's fairy godsister."
"When one of ours has a special moment, it's an honor to be part of that," Parton explained. "Carly is a real songwriter and bright heart - and I loved getting to ask her to do something so very special."
The news was made public during Pearce's Opry appearance on Tuesday in front of a packed crowd, who stood in applause after watching the clip.
"Truly this is the most precious place and the most precious family I could ever be a part of," she told the audience. "I've experienced so many wonderful things in my career so far, but this takes the cake!"
The "I Hope You're Happy Now" songstress has played the Nashville landmark 85 times and called it "the greatest love" of her life since she was a young girl listening with her grandparents.
"All of the greatest writers, legends and pioneers have been on that stage, and I feel them in my bones anytime I walk in the stage door," she confessed. "To actually be asked to join the Opry family, there are no words."
Alexa Campbell
The feeling is mutual with the Opry, as executive producer Dan Rogers referenced their "most special relationship" with Pearce since her debut.
"We've loved every minute of watching her star grow over the past few years and are thankful she reveres the Opry after more than 80 appearances even more than she did on her first night with us," he said. "Every night she plays the Opry, I try to make my way back to her to thank her for taking the time to visit us. Every single time she replies, 'It's my favorite place to be.' Here's to the Opry being Carly's favorite place to be for the rest of what will no doubt be a long, successful career."
Pearce will be officially inducted into the Grand Ole Opry Family on Aug. 3.
