Inspire
IN SONG
On Early Influences
Reba McEntire: Lots of great
women inspired me, starting with
my mother. Then there’s Loretta
Lynn, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline,
Barbara Mandrell, Anne Murray,
Tammy Wynette—all ladies I
looked up to and highly respected
and watched. Minnie Pearl is
another lady I got to meet, later
on, before she passed. I’m just
a huge fan, but also an admirer
of their strengths and what
they gave to society, especially
country music.
Miranda Lambert: I go across the
spectrum from Tammy Wynette
and Patsy Cline to Emmylou
Harris—that generation. Then
skip ahead to Patty Loveless,
Faith Hill, Martina [McBride].
I’ve been obsessed with country
music my whole life, so I’ve
studied all of these women.Carly Pearce: I grew up with
grandparents who instilled in me
the founding sisters of country
music: people like Dolly Parton.
Dolly was a huge influence and
continues to be. I even worked at
Dollywood! And I think she’s the
essence of how you should carry
yourself as a woman in country.
Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline,
Loretta...those were the firstladies I listened to. Then I fell
in love w ith Reba and Faith Hill
and Trisha Yearwood and Patty
Loveless and Shania Twain—
that era of females who were
really distinct on the radio.
RM: The ’90s were great. We
had a blast—Wynonna [Judd],
Trisha [Yearwood], Lee Ann
Womack, Martina [McBride],
myself. We were having fun
rocking, and then here comes
Shania. It was just like, Wow,
man, this is so wonderful. It
was an explosion.
CP: I always say I was born too
late. I should have been in that era.
I should have been in the ’90s.T
o celebrate
the release this
month of Country
Music, the new
documentary by
director Ken Burns, Woman’s
Day talked to three generations
of country stars who have made
an indelible mark on an industry
that is notoriously tough,
especially for women. “It’s still
a fight every day for us to walk
onstage and feel comfortable,”
says Miranda Lambert. Luckily,
female artists have a strong
support system: one another.
“Many of us write together; we
support each other,” says Reba
McEntire. “The camaraderie
is special.”
McEntire, who has long been
an inspiration and a mentor to
up-and-coming female artists,
and Lambert, the Academy of
Country Music’s most awarded
artist in history, are both finding
ways to support today’s new
crop of women country singers—
like “Every Little Thing” hitmaker
Carly Pearce. “Even on social
media, we all champion one
another,” says Pearce.
In a candid chat, the three
share their unique journeys in
the industry and celebrate the
sisterhood of country music.McEntire performing
recently in Las Vegas.Country music stars Reba McEntire,
Miranda Lambert, and Carly Pearce open up about
success, community, and the ties that bind them.
BY ALISON ABBEYJU
ST
IN
M
CI
NT
OS
H.