00:00Our first speaker today is a Grammy award-winning country music singer and songwriter who blends
00:07traditional and contemporary country pop styles.
00:10She started performing professionally as a teenager and has toured with Blake Shelton,
00:14Rascal Flatts, and Luke Bryan.
00:16She has won both ACM and CMA awards for Female Vocalist of the Year.
00:22Please welcome Carly Pearce!
00:41People tell you to never meet your heroes, but the woman that we are all celebrating
00:45today has made me and so many other aspiring country music singers think differently.
00:51I remember from a very young age becoming infatuated with Trish's voice.
00:56I later realized that she has a tone that is unmatched.
01:00Her God-given ability has since entertained millions for decades.
01:05For me, it's not the 15 million records sold, which is a lot, or the number one hits or
01:11the CMAs, ACMs, Emmys, or Grammys, or New York Times best-selling author title that
01:19matter.
01:20That's a lot of things that you've done in your life.
01:23What matters is the impact she has continued to have on this industry, this genre, on me,
01:29and all of the next generation of female country artists, and as my friend.
01:33I remember telling my mom after my second performance at the Grand Ole Opry, Mom, you're
01:38never going to believe this, Trisha Yearwood knocked on my door backstage and just wanted
01:42to say hi to me and welcome me to the Opry.
01:45I remember getting a package delivered to my house for my little puppies, Johnny and
01:48June, of her dog line, and I remember her introducing herself to every single member
01:53of my band and crew when she so graciously surprised my crowd when I sold out the Ryman
01:57for the first time, or when she inducted me into the Grand Ole Opry.
02:02It's the moments no one sees that are just as heartfelt and thoughtful as all of the
02:06moments that we do see.
02:08And what a full-circle moment and an honor for me to get to be here to help usher in
02:12this historical achievement after all the times Trisha has stood by my side.
02:18She's as beautiful on the inside as she is the outside, and I believe her loved ones
02:22would say that she is the same down-to-earth girl she's always been.
02:26I'm grateful to have such a wonderful blueprint for what it means to have an impactful career,
02:32but also, most importantly, what it means to be a good person.
02:35In an industry where people will chew you up and spit you out, Trisha is the warm hug.
02:40And don't we all just need a Trisha Yearwood and a warm hug in our lives?
02:50Congratulations, my beautiful, beautiful friend.
02:53This star is one many will never achieve but where you belong.
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