Carly Pearce Shines a Light on Las Vegas Tragedy at ‘Every Little Thing’ Listening Party

"I hope tonight we honor those who lost their lives and were affected and are just reminded why we love music so much, especially country music,” said Pearce.

Written by Lauren Laffer
Carly Pearce Shines a Light on Las Vegas Tragedy at ‘Every Little Thing’ Listening Party
Carly Pearce; Photo credit: Katie Kauss

As Music City struggles to comprehend the Las Vegas tragedy that hit so close to home, many of the artists that reside within Nashville are using their music to help heal. In a powerful stance to come together in the face of fear, Carly Pearce hosted an album listening party at The Listening Room Café on Monday evening (Oct. 2). Recognizing that the previous day’s events were draining and horrid, the Kentucky native hoped that the showcase of new songs would help people escape, if only for a moment.

“Today has been an extremely heavy day and I think that all of us and so many of you in the Nashville community feel that this hit close to home,” said Pearce after a moment of silence at the start of the show. “What is so beautiful about music is that music heals. I hope tonight we honor those who lost their lives and were affected and are just reminded why we love music so much, especially country music.”

The preview party involved members of the industry and fans alike, each person rooting on the singer, who spent eight long years chasing her dream. Joining Pearce onstage were several songwriters featured on the project, including Shane McAnally, Hillary Lindsey, Emily Shackleton, Allison Veltz and Laura Veltz.

Pictured (L-R): Songwriters Hillary Lindsey and Allison Veltz, Guitarist Shane Smith, Carly Pearce, Songwriters Emily Shackleton and Shane McAnally, Drummer Mike Blong and Songwriter Laura Veltz; Photo credit: Katie Kauss

Pictured (L-R): Songwriters Hillary Lindsey and Allison Veltz, Guitarist Shane Smith, Carly Pearce, Songwriters Emily Shackleton and Shane McAnally, Drummer Mike Blong and Songwriter Laura Veltz; Photo credit: Katie Kauss

The set began with “Every Little Thing,” a song Pearce and Shackleton wrote with busbee. After the two concluded their performance McAnally chimed in to share a story about his four-year-old daughter Dylan.

“If someone had told me this story about a four-year-old, I promise you, I would not believe them,” he prefaced. “We had ‘Every Little Thing’ turned up and I was stopped and I saw her in the rearview, four years old, tears were rolling down her face. And I thought her brother had pinched her or something. I turned around because I was just so stunned and I was like ‘baby, what is wrong?’ And she goes, ‘that song… is… so sad.’ And then she goes, ‘play it again.’ Then I knew she was my daughter.”

The rest of the night was filled with stories from the writing sessions that brought the songs on Pearce’s debut album, Every Little Thing, to life. The night wasn’t complete without Pearce thanking each and every person who’d helped her on her journey to this point. As she reminisced on the past eight years, Pearce couldn’t help but fight back tears in her eyes as her journey had been a long and winding one.

Fans can soon get their hands on Every Little Thing when it releases on Friday, Oct. 13.