Carly Pearce marked a “very emotional” milestone as she teamed up with two highly-regarded artists on a collaboration that “honors my roots.”

Pearce, 36, debuted “What If You Loved Me” from her upcoming fifth studio record, Honest Woman, on Friday (July 17). She teamed up with powerhouse bluegrass musicians Dan Tyminski and Molly Tuttle, delivering heartache ballad that pays tribute to the genre that means so much to Pearce. The Grammy-winning country star began performing in a bluegrass band as a child and teen.

“Bluegrass is such a cherished part of who I am as it’s where I got my start,” Pearce said in a statement. “To record a song that honors my roots with two artists that I have deep respect and admiration for is not only a special moment, but very emotional. 10-year-old Carly who grew up singing in bluegrass bands would be over the moon to know she has a song with Dan and Molly (as is present-day Carly!). This is the perfect moment in my career to show fans this side of my heart.”

“What if the grass was blue/ What if the sky was green/ What if I didn’t love you/ And what if you loved me”

Lauren Hunt, Jordan Reynolds and Parker Welling wrote “What If You Loved Me,” which features only Pearce, Tyminski and Tuttle on vocals and instrumentation. Pearce explained in a clip she shared on Instagram on Thursday (July 16) that she, Tyminski and Tuttle are the only performers because she wanted the song to “feel traditional,” and “truly bluegrass.”

“Fun fact about me that a lot of people don’t know is I got my start singing bluegrass music as a kid. …In my 10-year career, it is the first time that I have ever put out a bluegrass song,” Pearce shared in the video. “I’m originally from Kentucky, and when I was 11, I was asked to front a bluegrass band. I did that from the time that I was 11 until I moved to Dollywood.” Pearce moved to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, where Dolly Parton’s theme park is located, to accept a performing job there when she was 16. She marked a full-circle moment in 2021, when Parton surprised Pearce with an invitation to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

“When I was a kid, I fell in love with Alison Krauss & Union Station. Dan Tyminski happened to be in Union Station,” she continued. “When I started making my new album, Honest Woman, I got a random email saying that he had heard about the fact that I loved him, and that he was a fan, and if I ever wanted to work with him to let them know. I asked him to be a part of this album in a lot of different ways. I met Molly Tuttle a couple years ago when I was hosting CMA Country Christmas, and her and her band performed on the show, and I just fell in love with her. She’s one of the greatest guitar players of all time. So, I’m so excited to have her on this song.

“I really wanted this song to feel traditional, and to feel truly bluegrass from start to finish,” Pearce said of “What If You Loved Me.” “So, it’s only Molly and Dan playing the instruments. Molly’s playing clawhammer banjo and acoustic guitar. Dan is playing the mandolin. It’s just the three of us singing. This song is one of my favorites on the album. It kind of tells the story of somebody who wonders all of the what ifs, if the roles were reversed in a relationship that has broken up, where one person really still is in love with somebody, but the other is not. This really is such a part of my story. Really, I think one of the best songs I’ve ever put out.”

“What If You Loved Me” is the latest track to arrive from Honest Woman, following “Dream Come True,” “Church Girl,” “She Don’t,” “You Can Have Him,” and “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay,” featuring Riley Green. Tyminski also appears on an unreleased track, “Who’s Lying Here.”

Honest Woman Track List

1. “Dream Come True”

2. “Church Girl”

3. “She Don’t”

4. “You Can Have Him”

5. “How Long”

6. “WWJD”

7. “Same Circus”

8. “Happy For Myself”

9. “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” Carly Pearce & Riley Green

10. “I Don’t Have The Heart”

11. “He Don’t Like My Dogs”

12. “Leave My Heart Alone”

13. “Who’s Lying Here” Carly Pearce & Dan Tyminski

14. “Daisy”

15. “What If You Loved Me” Carly Pearce, Molly Tuttle & Dan Tyminski

16. “Why God Why Me”

“When I started making Honest Woman, I found myself rediscovering who I am and why I wanted to be a country music singer in the first place,” Pearce said when she announced the Ben West-produced last month. “This album takes me back to the beginning of my story, where the sounds of classic country and bluegrass music shaped who I am. I’m so proud of this body of work, and I truly feel like it’s my best yet.” She added on Instagram, “sometimes finding yourself means finding your way back home. For me, it meant coming home...to my truth, my story, and the woman I am at my core. These songs tell that story. They hold pieces of my heart, where I come from, and the journey that brought me here. I’m so proud of this album and I can’t wait to share it with you.”

Pearce will celebrate Honest Woman’s debut by kicking off a run of intimate, two-night residencies later this year. The shows will feature Belle Frantz. Scroll below to find the list of tour stops, and listen to “What If You Loved Me” with Tyminski and Tuttle here:

Beth Bradley