Carly Pearce Fills Out ’29’ With a Full-Length Album, ’29: Written in Stone’
Soon after she dropped her seven-song collection, 29, in February 2021, Carly Pearce began hinting that she wasn't done with that musical chapter. On Tuesday (Aug. 3), the singer dropped more details on exactly what she's got planned, announcing that she's expanding her project into a 15-song full-length album called 29: Written in Stone.
The fleshed-out collection, due out Sept. 17, sees Pearce continuing to document a weighty, challenging life stage marked by the unexpected death of her friend and producer, Busbee, as well as her June 2020 divorce from Michael Ray, who was at the time her husband of just eight months.
Pearce has never made any secret of the fact that she strives to be a country traditionalist, but on 29: Written in Stone, more than ever, the singer sinks her teeth into her genre's roots. Fiddle, dobro and steel guitar are at the front and center of the album, and she pays homage to country's female legends with songs including "Dear Miss Loretta," her first track to be released off the full-length album.
Fans got a taste of the unreleased "Dear Miss Loretta" back in March, when Pearce debuted it live on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, explaining to the crowd that the twists and turns she'd weathered over the course of the past year had brought her closer to Lynn's music.
"It wasn't until the last year that I really FELT what she's sang about all these years — and just how much we really do have in common," Pearce reflected on Twitter at the time.
And while fans have had a chance to hear the song, Pearce has another surprise up her sleeve: On Written in Stone, "Dear Miss Loretta" is a duet with another country icon, Patty Loveless.
"To hear Patty Loveless sing your words, there’s no way to describe that sensation," Pearce says in a press release. “Her voice is Appalachia, those mountains and hollers are country music. To think, a year ago, I was asking myself, ‘What would Patty Loveless do?’ thinking about all her songs, how smart and sassy she always was... and now she’s on one of mine.”
Pearce makes it a point to spotlight her admiration for and friendship with the women of contemporary country music on the project, too. Another track is the confessional story-song "Never Wanted to Be That Girl," which documents a woman's heartache as she uncovers a fundamental dishonesty at the root of her relationship with the man she loves. Ashley McBryde is a co-writer and sings on "Never Wanted to Be That Girl." Meanwhile, Brandy Clark helped Pearce and Shane McAnally pen "Dear Miss Loretta," and another fellow artist of Pearce's — Kelsea Ballerini — appears as a co-writer on "Diamondback," the album's opener.
While 29: Written in Stone documents a period of Pearce's life marked by painful growth and change, recent months have delivered quite a few career milestones to the singer, too. At the top of that list is her invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry, an ask that came from none other than the legendary Dolly Parton. Pearce's official induction ceremony is set for Tuesday night (Aug. 3).
29: Written in Stone is currently available for pre-order, pre-add and pre-save.
Carly Pearce, 29: Written in Stone Track List:
1. “Diamondback” (Carly Pearce, Kelsea Ballerini, Tofer Brown, Shane McAnally)
2. “What He Didn’t Do” (Carly Pearce, Ashley Gorley, Emily Shackelton)
3. “Easy Going” (Carly Pearce, Natalie Hemby, Josh Osborne)
4. “Dear Miss Loretta” (featuring Patty Loveless) ( Carly Pearce, Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally)
5. “Next Girl” ( Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne)
6. “Should’ve Known Better” (Carly Pearce, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Shackelton)
7. “29” (Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne)
8. “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” (featuring Ashley McBryde) (Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde)
9. “Your Drinkin’, My Problem” (Carly Pearce, Nicolle Galyon, Sasha Sloan, Ben West)
10. “Liability” (Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne)
11. “Messy” (Carly Pearce, Sarah Buxton, Jimmy Robbins)
12. “Show Me Around” (Carly Pearce, Emily Shackelton, Ben West)
13. “Day One” (Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey)
14. “All The Whiskey In The World” (Carly Pearce, Jordan Terry Minton, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Shackelton)
15. “Mean It This Time” (Carly Pearce, Jordan Terry Minton, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Shackelton)