Growing Up in Bluegrass, Carly Pearce and Sonya Isaacs Come Full Circle

Carly Pearce and Sonya Isaacs can both trace their musical roots back to bluegrass, even as their individual careers have introduced them to fans beyond that genre. A rising country star, Pearce is a native of Taylor Mill, Kentucky, who just released her third album, 29: Written in Stone. She cites Isaacs — a sterling vocalist and instrumentalist in the gospel group The Isaacs — as one of her biggest vocal influences. Meanwhile, the Isaacs salute some of their own favorite songs with The American Face, a new album blending new material and well-chosen covers. These artists’ professional paths converged this fall when Pearce and, later, The Isaacs, were welcomed into the cast of the Grand Ole Opry.

Calling in to BGS, Carly Pearce and Sonya Isaacs converse about their formative years as musicians, their education in bluegrass harmony, and their immediate response to “Easy Going,” a cool collaborative cut on 29: Written in Stone.

BGS: Let’s start by talking about “Easy Going.” Carly, what was it about the song that made you want to bring in Sonya and Ben Isaacs to sing with you?

Pearce: When I was writing this song, I could hear the harmony. I grew up loving music and harmony and all of those things. As soon as we finished writing it and knew that we wanted it to be on the project I just heard The Isaacs. I grew up loving them and loving their harmonies. Nobody sings harmony better than the Isaacs family, so I asked Sonya.

Sonya, what did you think when you first heard the song?

Isaacs: I love Carly’s voice, too, and I was like, “Well, I’m sure anything that she wants us to sing on will be amazing. And knowing how she loves harmony singing, I thought, “This is gonna be really fun.” Of course, she’s one of the most incredible female vocalists of all time, I think. So, when she played us the song, I flipped out over it. I absolutely loved the song, and I was like, “I can’t wait to get in the studio!” … It was a good a vocal exercise, a good stretch! [Laughs] And it was a challenge because she’s so good, but that’s my favorite kind of session. We had a blast and I love the song.

I like the arrangement because you’re giving the musicians a chance to step out and do what they do best. It feels like a band record in some ways.

Pearce: Yeah! They were all so inspired in the studio by the song and I remember telling Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, my producers, “Hang on, hang on, and let them do their thing.” I love instrumental bluegrass music, so I wanted to have that element and that feel in the song.

I do want to explore the bluegrass background that you both have. Sonya, can you kind of tell me how bluegrass fits into your overall musical direction?

Isaacs: Yeah. Our dad has been playing bluegrass all of his life. He’s 74 now and he grew up loving bluegrass. The Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe, all of the legends of bluegrass. Dad loved it first, and when Carter Stanley passed away, my dad actually filled in for him with Ralph for a while and sang Carter’s part. He really fit that style. Dad always instilled a love for bluegrass music, especially traditional bluegrass music, into us kids. He taught us how to play our instruments. He was very key in teaching us the first things we ever learned. Over the years, with our own writing and different influences and artists that we’ve discovered along the way that had a little more of a contemporary sound, our style morphed and changed a little bit away from the more traditional bluegrass sound, but it’s always been the root of everything that we’ve ever loved.

Let’s talk about your dad a bit because the Isaacs just won an IBMA Award for a recording of “Garden Tomb,” which he wrote. I’m curious how that song came back into the forefront.

Isaacs: Dad moved to Kentucky about 20 years ago after he and Mom divorced. He hasn’t really traveled with us or been in the recording part of what we do for all those years. But, of course, he made pop-up appearances when we were around. So, Joe Mullins reached out to us — we love Joe Mullins and the whole Mullins family — because he was doing this project called Industrial Strength Bluegrass and wanted the Isaacs to be a part of it. [The project was named IBMA Album of the Year in September.] Joe has always loved the song “Garden Tomb” that my dad wrote many, many years ago. It was one of our earlier hits that we had many years ago. So, we thought it would be a good idea to do that song.

Our dad is, to me, one of the most underrated legends of bluegrass music. Mainly I think because he chose to do gospel instead of mainstream bluegrass, he was overlooked a lot. So we said, “We’ve got to get Dad in here to sing on this.” And then we decided to add the Oak Ridge Boys, to give it even more of an inclusive feeling. They agreed to come in and they were so proud of it. And my dad felt so honored that it was his song that was on this project. We’re very proud of this whole album — and to be from Ohio. This whole album is artists that are from Ohio or lived in Southern Ohio. It was a full-circle thing for us.

Carly, I know you joined a bluegrass band around the age of 11, right?

Pearce: I did, yeah. I sang in a bluegrass gospel band. That’s how I got my start on stage, outside of the childhood talent shows and things like that. I fell in love with it and feel like I understood what it meant to really be able to sing. I learned a lot of things in those years I was in that band, traveling around and watching bands like the Isaacs. There is no faking that harmony in that music! I think it made me a better singer today because of it.

You’re both known now for singing with other people. Carly, you’ve had a couple of hit duets, and Sonya, you’ve been singing with your family for a long time. Did bluegrass help you build that foundation, in terms of being able to blend your voice with another voice?

Isaacs: Absolutely. Anybody that can sing the third part with the Louvin Brothers, or with Ralph and Carter Stanley, it really teaches you to sing harmony and to find the part. You can listen to a Ralph Stanley song and hear all his vocal licks, and you can compare it to a Mariah Carey vocal lick. Even though they’re completely different styles, they’re both working their vocal cords and it takes a great skill and talent to be able to do the runs and licks that they do. So, absolutely, growing up singing along with those old records and finding that third part was very instrumental in me learning to sing harmony.

Pearce: For sure. The joy, for me, of singing is sometimes getting to collaborate with other vocalists and people that I love and adore. I’m such a fan of their voices. Sonya knows this, but so much of what I feel like people know my voice could be — kind of the flip into my head voice — is because I was trying to emulate Sonya’s voice when I was growing up, going to watch her sing. That’s why singing with her is so special for me.

Isaacs: Aww. It’s crazy because… how old are you Carly?

Pearce: I’m 31.

Isaacs: So, I’m 16 years older than her. It’s so funny for me to hear her say that she grew up listening to the Isaacs, and emulating me, because I don’t feel like I’m that much older, but I am. I’m just in denial, I guess, but I am so honored that she would say that! [Laughs]

Speaking of influences, Carly, you have Patty Loveless on your record, singing with you on “Dear Miss Loretta.” What was going through your mind when you heard her voice come in on that song?

Pearce: Oh, I sat in my car and bawled my eyes out. Patty and Sonya are two of my biggest influences and to have them be so gracious to be a part of my album, it’s something you dream of.

And it’s a song about Loretta Lynn no less. You really went for it, making Kentucky proud. Growing up, were you pretty well aware of the bluegrass history in Kentucky?

Pearce: Oh, for sure. My grandpa played clawhammer banjo and I grew up listening to Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley. I definitely understood how many people come out of the state of Kentucky, like the Judds. I think that’s where I really started to fall in love with music — by listening to people who came from Kentucky.

Sonya, on The American Face record, you have six songs from the past and an equal number of new songs. Are there any of those that you’d want a bluegrass fan to check out?

Isaacs: The instrumentation on this record, and that we’ve always done, leans toward that contemporary acoustic sound with the addition of a few extra instruments like piano. But our roots are always going to be that acoustic sound, and that’s how we are live. But I think “We Can Work It Out” — the Beatles cover that we did — is very acoustic and fun. We have a song “More Than Words” that was originally recorded 30 years ago by a rock ‘n’ roll group called Extreme. We did that stripped down with just upright bass, some snaps and vocals. I guess it’s not really considered a bluegrass song but the vocals are definitely influenced by that. There are quite a few songs on here that the bluegrass fans would really, really like.

It feels like you’re both having this moment, where you received an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry and you’re winning industry awards. People are really noticing both of you right now. What are you enjoying the most about this time in your career?

Pearce: I’m sure that Sonya would say the same thing, but moments like becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry — that’s something that I wanted and dreamed of and hoped for my whole entire life. And now to say that I am a part of that family is so surreal for me. All of these things, the childhood dreams, are coming true. You hope that when you’re writing music and singing and doing all of these things that it’s impactful and that people are going to care. And the fact that I feel like people care is so special.

Isaacs: Ditto to that. That’s a great answer. Again, it goes back to growing up. Dad instilled a great love for bluegrass music but hand-in-hand with that is that old classic country sound. I think nowadays, the classic country would fall more into a bluegrass category than even current country, because it’s changed and evolved so much since those days. Dad always instilled in us in love for the Grand Ole Opry as well, so it was full-circle again to be inducted and to be an Opry sister with Carly. We’ve known her for years and we’ve written together and we go way back. It is a really neat time to get to share these moments.


Photo credit: Nicole Sherwood

WATCH: Mark Bishop, “Like a Songbird That Has Fallen”

Artist: Mark Bishop
Hometown: Irvine, Kentucky
Song: “Like a Songbird That Has Fallen”
Album: Some Distant Mountain
Release Date: September 24, 2021
Label: Sonlite Records

In Their Words: “I was speaking with a friend about the album we were recording, and she had me go looking for this song. I fell in love with not just the mountain melody, but I also fell in love with the unconventional lyrics that sound more like poetry than song lyrics. You really have to listen. Musically, the song encapsulates the entire album. It’s a mixture of instruments from across the sea as they first meet the instruments of the Appalachian mountains. Add to that the harmony vocals by my friend Ally Griggs and it is just an absolutely captivating song to hear.” — Mark Bishop


Photo credit: Sandlin Gaither

With Béla Fleck, Opera Star Jamie Barton Finds Her Way Back to Appalachia

At BGS, we are well aware of the immensely talented folks that have come out of Appalachia. Countless celebrated pickers, singers, writers, and performers have come from the mountainous heart of the American east. Jamie Barton is one of those singers, but her inspiration and voice led her to an entirely different realm of music than her neighbors tend to find. Barton is an acclaimed opera singer whose mezzo-soprano voice and commanding artistry have paved the path for her work with top-level ensembles like the San Francisco Opera, the Chicago Opera Theater, and the Metropolitan Opera.

Originally hailing from the foothills of Appalachia in Georgia, Barton’s roots are in bluegrass, old-time, gospel, and classic rock ‘n’ roll. The singer retains her those roots off stage as well, regularly using her platform to champion issues of social justice, sexuality, and body positivity. The all-around badass that she is, Barton is featured in a San Francisco Opera featurette called In Song: Jamie Barton, in which she returns to her musical roots in performances with Béla Fleck, who knows a thing or two about Appalachian music traditions. Produced in partnership with Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the short film is both heartwarming and eye-opening. And it’s always a treat to see two musicians of the highest caliber perform together. Take a look.


Photo credit: Taylor Ballantyne

LISTEN: Jeremy Pinnell, “Goodbye L.A.”

Artist: Jeremy Pinnell
Hometown: Southgate, Kentucky
Song: “Goodbye L.A.”
Album: Goodbye L.A.
Release Date: October 1, 2021
Label: SofaBurn Records

In Their Words:Goodbye L.A. was a special situation. I was introduced to Jonathan Tyler through a mutual friend and I was a little nervous about making a record with Jonathan. But we took a leap of faith and and found out it was the best thing we could’ve done. The feeling of excitement was present in the studio. New songs, new ideas flowing in and then hearing the playback was such a positive experience. I’m excited for people to hear these songs we wrote mostly from being on the road and I hope they enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it. We’ve worked really hard to make this album. Long hours, hardly any pay, and many nights away from home make this album what it is.” — Jeremy Pinnell


Photo credit: Melissa Fields

WATCH: Clinton Davis, “Curly Headed Woman”

Artist: Clinton Davis
Hometown: Carrollton, Kentucky
Song: “Curly Headed Woman”
Album: If I Live and I Don’t Get Killed
Release Date: September 10, 2021
Label: Tiki Parlour Recordings

In Their Words: “‘Curly Headed Woman’ is a rare version of one of the most common American folk songs: ‘The Hesitation Blues’ or ‘If the River Was Whisky’ as most people call it. My version is most directly inspired by a 1928 recording of Kentucky banjoist Dick Burnett and fiddler Leonard Rutherford. Their version contained some common folk lyrics — anyone with any exposure to folk and blues music has probably heard the line ‘If the river was whisky and I was a duck, I’d dive to the bottom and I’d never come up’ sung with a hedonistic, ‘let the good times roll’ kind of sentiment. But this version also held more unique lines about a curly-headed woman that had brought great pain and misfortune on the singer. And in that context, it occurred to me that the famous lyric about a river of whisky could also be a cry of pain. This thought became the center of my interpretation and my arrangement became a kind of dreamy balm. The video, shot on a beautiful spring day in an urban canyon of San Diego, features Erin Bower, who sang on the recording, and Aaron Brownwood.” — Clinton Davis


Photo credit: David Bragger

WATCH: Bobby & Teddi Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus, “Roll That Rock”

Artists: Bobby & Teddi Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus
Hometowns: Louisa, Drift, and Flatwoods, Kentucky
Song: “Roll That Rock”
Release Date: August 13, 2021
Label: Pinecastle Records

In Their Words: “‘Roll That Rock’ started as a collaboration between Billy Ray and I as writers. Then it became a collaboration of my wife Teddi Cyrus’ powerful vocals, Billy Ray’s undeniable sound, and me.” — Bobby Cyrus

“‘Roll That Rock’ is an inspiring and beautifully written song about the sacrifices Jesus made for us to have eternal life. This song is powerful and will move your soul. I pray that it blesses all listeners as much as it has me.” — Teddi Cyrus

“I always prayed for purpose through the music. Started a band for that reason. When I started singing ‘Roll That Rock’ my inner spirit said Bobby Cyrus will know exactly what to do with this. He did. He wrote the Gospel truth and then sang the daylights out of it with Teddi and a killer bluegrass band reminiscent of Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe.” — Billy Ray Cyrus


Photo credit: Christopher Michael Images

LISTEN: Grayson Jenkins, “Mockingbird”

Artist: Grayson Jenkins
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Song: “Mockingbird”
Album: Turning Tides
Release Date: August 27, 2021

In Their Words: “I had just broken up with my girlfriend of four years and was a bit of mess at the time I wrote this song. I decided to go camping in my van and to see Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan in Milwaukee. Willie and Bob could fix about anything, right? The first line of the song came one morning when a bird was chirping nonstop by my van while I was trying to sleep. I couldn’t get it to leave, kind of like her memory. ‘Mockingbird’ is me saying that I don’t need any help remembering that I screwed up, with a grain of hope that I’d wake up one day and not think of her. It was a good trip, but I didn’t come back with anything but a broken heart, toll tickets, a sunburn, and this song.

“The finished track highlights a lot of the elements I like to hear in my music — verses with imagery, big choruses, and a rocking groove. Miles Miller (Sturgill Simpson) did a great job dynamically on the drums to lift the song in the right places. It was cathartic writing and recording the track; somehow it helped heal the hurt and now it makes me smile when I listen. I hope listeners can relate to the song’s sentiment and find some relief in there, too.” — Grayson Jenkins


Photo Credit: Patrick Brumback

WATCH: Bendigo Fletcher, “Sugar in the Creek” (Blackacre Barn Session)

Artist: Bendigo Fletcher
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Song: “Sugar in the Creek” (Blackacre Barn Session)
Album: Fits of Laughter
Release Date: August 13, 2021
Label: Elektra Records

In Their Words: “Playing ‘Sugar in the Creek’ live feels like floating compared to some of our other songs that probably require more attention to recreate. There are a few key and tempo fluctuations that we sort of arrive at and navigate as the song continues, and we just have to rely on staying in the moment together to hit those transitions naturally. Looking back, I think it was written under the spell of a band called Relatively Clean Rivers, whose only known album consists of those types of songs that just kind of start and end before you remember again that you’re in a human body.” — Ryan Anderson, Bendigo Fletcher


Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine

BGS 5+5: Sam Filiatreau

Artist: Sam Filiatreau
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Latest Album: Sam Filiatreau

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I was around 10 years old sitting in the basement with my dad and brother watching this Bruce Springsteen concert. I remember my dad saying something like, “Look at how much fun he’s having and that’s his job.” I had never really thought about being able to do something you loved and getting paid for it.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

Maybe five years ago we threw a big concert on the day of The Kentucky Derby. My friends, The Nude Party, were on the bill too and we had a few days of debauchery leading into it. For the encore, all the bands got on stage to sing “Dead Flowers” and it was the first time for me where everything felt right.

How often do you hide behind a character in a song or use “you” when it’s actually “me”?

Most of the time when I’m writing songs, they start with me just singing over some chords until a good line sticks out. Most of the time I’m usually writing outside of my own experiences, but there are many moments where I look down and realize that I was accidentally writing about myself.

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

John Prine. Aside from being one of the best songwriters ever he’s just been so consistently cool and compassionate throughout his career. I feel like from the moment he started that his success never affected who he was. We didn’t deserve John Prine, but I’m glad we got him.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

I spend a lot of time fishing with friends and on my own. I don’t think it necessarily inspires my music, but there’s something about fishing by yourself and playing music that go hand in hand. It becomes meditative at some point just listening to the water and finding some sort of rhythm. And when you finally catch a fish it’s just as exciting as pulling a lyric out of thin air and holding it close for a moment.


Photo credit: Maggie Halfman

LISTEN: Bobby Osborne, “White Line Fever” with Alison Brown and Special Guests

Artist: Bobby Osborne (feat. Alison Brown, Stuart Duncan, Trey Hensley, Sierra Hull, Tim O’Brien & Todd Phillips)
Hometown: Hyden, Kentucky
Song: “White Line Fever”
Release Date: March 26, 2021
Label: Compass Records

In Their Words: “When I first heard ‘White Line Fever’ it was a ballad-type song. When Alison discussed it with me, she said she wanted to do it in a bluegrass style. It’s a great song, and I enjoyed recording this version for Compass Records. I hope everyone also enjoys ‘White Line Fever’!” — Bobby Osborne

“On his birthday last year, I asked Bobby if he thought it would be fun to record a version of ‘White Line Fever’ which he was totally up for doing. The song was a hit for Merle Haggard who cut it in late 1960s with a mid-tempo country feel, but it always seemed to me that it would make a great bluegrass song. As Garry West (co-producer) and I started working on the re-arrangement we felt like it was missing a second verse, so we asked Jeff Tweedy if he would be up for writing some lyrics to tell the story of Bobby’s 60-plus year career on the road. He came up with the perfect handful of lines with nods to Bobby’s Kentucky roots and Ohio ties. We got some of our favorite bluegrass collaborators to cut the song (Stuart Duncan – fiddle, Sierra Hull – mandolin, Trey Hensley – guitar and harmony vocals, Todd Phillips – bass, Tim O’Brien – harmony vocals, with me on banjo) and, once we heard Bobby’s incomparable vocal in the track, it was hard to believe the song hadn’t been a bluegrass standard all along.” — Alison Brown


Photo credit: Jay Blakesburg