Wednesday night at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, Carly Pearce got to fulfill another lifelong dream: helming a major awards show.
“I am so excited,” the new Opry member commented before the ACM Honors. “Hosting is something that I really take seriously, and want to tap into as an artist.”
“It’s always been a goal of mine to take that as part of, just, my brand and who I am,” she confessed. “So I’m so thankful that the ACMs felt like I could handle it.”
Typically the home for the Academy of Country Music’s non-televised awards, it’ll air this year as a special on Circle TV.
Ashley McBryde got the chance to sing for Luke Combs, and honor him with the Gene Weed Milestone Award.
“I’m performing ‘She Got The Best of Me’… one of my favorite Luke Combs songs…” she revealed prior to the show. “I’ve been touring with Luke for… seems like two or three years now… So he’s a great guy.”
“He’s done a lot as far as teaching me how to treat people,” Ashley continued, “and helping us learn how to put on a bigger and bigger show.”
Chris Janson bemoaned missing the chance to connect with legendary writers like honoree Curly Putman, before the momentous task of performing what’s widely considered country’s greatest composition at the Mother Church.
“Full circle, here we are in 2021, and here I am with this awesome, blessed career,” Chris reflected. “And I’m getting to repay that hopefully in song, and I hope I do it justice tonight.”
“It’s a big step to sing ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today” in a honky tonk,” he added. “It’s also a big step to sing it in front of your country music… family.”
Watch the complete ACM Honors November 23 on Circle.
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