Carly Pearce is offering a touching tribute to her close friend, Jeannie Seely, who passed away. Seely, who was 85 years old when she died on August 1, holds the record for the most Grand Ole Opry performances, with 5397.
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It was Seely who first let Pearce be part of the Opry, long before she became a member in 2021.
"When I was in my early 20s, Jeannie and I got to know each other because she lived down the street from me," Pearce writes on social media. "She quickly took me under her wing, inviting me to go backstage at the Opry— knowing it was my dream to play there. Since then, she has become one of my biggest mentors and dearest friends. She celebrated my successes, let me cry on her back porch in private, and helped welcome me into the Grand Ole Opry family.
"I can't quite put into words what this woman means to me, the Opry and country music... but I know there will be a hole in my heart forever," she continues. "Jeannie, thank you for your guidance, your wit, your talents and your shine. I whispered in her ear this week that I promised to keep the sparkles in the circle and her legacy in lights- and I promise to do that. I love you forever, Jeannie."
" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;margin: 1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:99.375%;width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);width:calc(100% - 2px)">What Carly Pearce And Jeannie Seely Have In Common
Pearce and Seely are decades apart from each other, but they did have a few things in common, including their love of the Grand Ole Opry. In a conversation with her record label, Pearce reflected on Seely, and her influence in Pearce's own life.
"It's really cool to me to see how many parallels in our lives and in our careers," Pearce says. "We both debuted when we were 25 - 50 years apart - and she's just really been a great mentor to me to make me see what a woman can do. She was the first female to ever host a segment on the Opry, and I just feel like she's continued to push boundaries that I look at and I admire her for that and I admire her boldness as an artist and as a woman in country music.
"And she has really, I feel like groomed me to one day have this moment where she's looking at me as one of the next generation of females that they're passing the torch to," she adds.
