PHOTO: Jason Kimpin with Getty Images

Last night, 4x ACM Award, 3x CMA Award and GRAMMY® Award winning country star Carly Pearce turned music into mission by drawing a sold-out crowd to help raise $45,000 for Nashville’s Pet Community Center (PCC) with her show at City Winery.

Opening the evening, singer-songwriter Ashley Cooke performed an acoustic set of songs, including her #1 hit, “Your Place,” all in honor of her canine companion, Chance.

Next up, Pearce, Grand Ole Opry and Kentucky Music Hall of Fame member, took the stage for a powerful and emotional acoustic performance that featured her popular #1 hits as well as new songs such as, “Dreams Come True,” and her current chart climbing duet with Riley Green, “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay.” Another highlight of the evening was when Pearce invited Cooke back to the stage to perform her chart-topper, “Never Wanted to Be That Girl.”

Pearce stopped to share with the audience, “I am honored to be here tonight to raise money and awareness for needy pets in our community. Pet Community Center does tremendous work to provide veterinary care, food, supplies, and spaying and neutering services to the most vulnerable pets in Nashville. As a dog mom of Johnny and June, I am here to honor them tonight!”

“When I dreamed up this idea for a music fundraiser for Pet Community Center, Carly was the first artist I thought of,” says Damon Whiteside, Board Member of Pet Community Center and CEO of Academy of Country Music. “She immediately said yes which shows her caring heart, and I’m thrilled that her participation led to so much new awareness of the organization’s mission and important fundraising among her fans and the music industry. I am grateful to Carly and Ashley for donating their time and talents to the cause.”

In addition to donating her time to perform, Carly announced from stage she would be donating an additional $5,000 to PCC.

PCC has been serving Nashville since 2011 by offering low-cost vaccines and affordable veterinary care. PCC also helps control the animal population citywide through a high-volume spay/neuter program. ​​Your support helps fund these crucial programs, contributing to the quality of life for local animals and the people who love them. 

We are incredibly grateful to Carly and Ashley for using their voices and their platforms to support pets and people who love them,” shared Brandon Dyce, President and CEO of PCC. “Because of their generosity–and the compassion of everyone who joined us–we raised over $45,000 to expand access to lifesaving veterinary care. At Pet Community Center, that kind of impact means thousands of families can keep their pets happy, healthy and at home with the people who love them dearly.”

With the support of Nashville’s brightest stars and a compassionate community, PCC can serve more families with pets, break down financial barriers, and ensure no pet is left behind–ultimately saving more lives. One hundred percent of funds raised at the event went directly to PCC.

Note to media: If interested, Getty Images has additional photos from the event.

About Pet Community Center    We want every pet to receive the high-quality veterinary care they deserve. Providing affordable and accessible veterinary care services is the key to our success. Pet Community Center (PCC) operates The Phran Galante Center for Pet Wellness—a high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter and vaccine clinic in Nashville, TN, run by highly skilled veterinarians, clinicians and nonprofit professionals. 

Additionally, PCC is tackling barriers to veterinary care and provides outreach and support to pet owners who live in veterinary care deserts. The results of PCC’s work include lower pet homelessness rates, lower shelter euthanasia rates and improved public health and quality of life in neighborhoods across Davidson County.

PHOTO: Luke Rogers

About Carly Pearce   Fiercely rooted in the classics, the girl who left her Kentucky home and high school at 16 to take a job at Dollywood has grown into a woman who embraces the genre’s forward progression. GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter Carly Pearce lit fire with her debut album Every Little Thing and the PLATINUM-certified history-making title track, and she hasn’t slowed down since. Now a Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member who has performed on the famed stage more than 100 times, Pearce has come a long way from the pain she felt writing her critically acclaimed and commercially lauded third studio album 29 which includes Country Radio chart toppers “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” with Ashley McBryde and 2x PLATINUM-certified “What He Didn’t Do.” Her critically acclaimed 2024 album hummingbird includes PLATINUM-certified lead single “we don’t fight anymore” (featuring Chris Stapleton), which earned Pearce her second GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and fifth Top 5 Country Radio hit. With her highly anticipated fifth studio album on the way, Pearce continues to resonate with her honest lyrics and timeless musicality. Recent tracks “Dream Come True” and “Church Girl” have been deeply connecting with fans, critics & fellow country stars alike, giving audiences a glimpse of what’s next in this bold new era for Pearce. Most recently, Pearce released an acclaimed duet with Riley Green, “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” that lit up across socials with sultry lyrics and a steamy accompanying music video. This spring, Pearce continues to build her global audience, returning to Australia for the CMC Rocks Festival before a headlining performance at London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall as part of her UK and Ireland “Inside the Dream” tour. For tour dates and more, visit CarlyPearce.com.

Carly Pearce with her beloved fur babies, Johnny and June

Ashley Cooke
PHOTO: Provided by Big Loud / Sweet Talk Publicity

About Ashley Cooke:   One of Country’s most magnetic young storytellers, Ashley Cooke made her unforgettable debut with 2023’s shot in the dark and soon scored her first Country radio No. 1 with “your place” — a GOLD-certified, Billboard Hot 100-charting hit that later won a 2024 CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year. With a voice that carries both tenderness and quiet confidence, she’s since garnered nominations for New Female Artist of the Year at the ACM Awards and Best New Country Artist at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. While building up an acclaimed body of work including 2025’s ace — a nine-song project featuring her Country radio smash “the hell you are” and longtime fan favorite “baby blues” (a No. 1 hit on SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown) — Cooke has collaborated with major artists ranging from Pop superstar Joe Jonas (“all I forgot”) to Country hitmaker Brantley Gilbert (“Over When We’re Sober”). Known for her emotionally charged and high-energy live show, she’s also toured with heavy-hitters like Luke Bryan, Parker McCollum, and Kane Brown and recently hit the road as support for Jon Pardi’s HONKYTONK HOLLYWOOD TOUR. As her profile continues to rise, Cooke made a cameo appearance in March on CBS’ Marshals (the newly launched spinoff of the blockbuster Western saga Yellowstone), just before heading overseas for C2C: Country to Country 2026 (including a performance at the iconic O2 Arena in London). With her sophomore album due out later this year, she’s now gearing up to take the stage at leading festivals like Tortuga Music Festival (4/10 in Fort Lauderdale, FL) and Hoofbeat (6/27 in Cadott, WI).

countryCharity EventNewsPress ReleaseAshley Cooke,Carly Pearce,Nashville's Pet Commu7nity Center,Pet Community Center
Last night, 4x ACM Award, 3x CMA Award and GRAMMY® Award winning country star Carly Pearce turned music into mission by drawing a sold-out crowd to help raise $45,000 for Nashville's Pet Community Center (PCC) with her show at City Winery. Opening the evening, singer-songwriter Ashley Cooke performed an acoustic set of...