Industry Ink: Carly Pearce, IBMA, Ronnie McDowell
Carly Pearce Celebrated At Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum Exhibit
Carly Pearce
Carly Pearce returned to her home state for an exhibit unveiling at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum. The virtual ceremony highlighted the Taylor Mill native’s journey from fronting a local bluegrass band at 11 and performing around the region in a blue sequin outfit her mom crafted, to expressing her admiration for the area with a Kentucky tattoo and a recent CMA Award win. Pearce also performed her hits “Every Little Thing” and “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” plus cautionary tale “Next Girl.”
“Going home always brings such comfort, but today, I really feel the embrace of my Kentucky roots. When I was in fourth grade, I won my school talent show singing ‘Blue Moon of Kentucky’ in a costume my mom made for me. As I unveiled my exhibit in the Kentucky Hall of Fame & Museum, it’s such a feeling of joy to see that costume displayed. I wish I could tell that little girl what was coming,” said Pearce.
IBMA Raises Over $310,000 In Donations In 2020
The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) is extending its gratitude to those who donated to the IBMA, IBMA Trust Fund, and IBMA Foundation during 2020. Due to donors’ generosity, the three organizations were able to raise $33,592 during a year-end giving campaign, bringing the total to $310,692 in donations for 2020.
The contributions are essential to helping IBMA continue its goal of building a stronger bluegrass community through programs and resources, including the IBMA Trust Fund’s COVID-19 Relief Account to provide emergency need to people affected by the pandemic; building a brighter future for bluegrass through the IBMA Foundation’s grants, scholarships, and Arnold Shultz Fund; and the first-ever IBMA Virtual World of Bluegrass, which brought the global bluegrass community together to connect.
Ronnie McDowell’s “Older Women” Remake Gets Tik Tok Attention
Ronnie McDowell is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of his hit single, “Older Women” which reached No. 1 in 1981. Now, in 2021 “Older Women ” has gone viral on Tik Tok, reaching nearly 130 million views and counting through a cover by The Sheltons.
“I was very reluctant about recording ‘Older Women’ because I thought it would be detrimental to women but was I ever wrong,” says McDowell. “It actually made ladies over 40 feel good about themselves and it lifted them up! I never knew 40 years later I would be singing the song over 15,000 times. But you know what, every time I sing it, it’s still just as fresh as the first time.”
