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LISTEN: Carly Pearce Brilliantly Covers Kathy Mattea for Liam Neeson’s ‘The Ice Road’ Movie

Carly Pearce had maybe the most enviable week in country music history last week.

First, Dolly Parton invited her to be an official member of the Grand Ole Opry. Then, she received the two ACM awards that she won earlier this year. Finally, on Friday, the soundtrack for the new Liam Neeson flick The Ice Road hit streaming platforms.

The first two things were huge for Carly Pearce. It seems like the “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” singer is really getting the recognition she deserves. However, the release of the Ice Road soundtrack is a big deal for country fans. It is packed with some of the best names in country music including Carly, Miranda Lambert, and Tim McGraw.

On the other hand, the Ice Road soundtrack was also a big deal for Carly Pearce. It’s not just because she has her name right alongside some other greats, either. Though, I imagine that feels pretty good. The really big deal is that she got to cover one of her favorite songs for the album.

First, listen to Carly Pearce absolutely smash “18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses.” Then, we’ll talk more about the track and her cover of it.

Carly Pearce on ‘Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses’

Recently, Outsider took part in a press event with Carly Pearce. During the brief chat, Carly discussed her Opry invitation, her country music bucket list, and her contribution to the Ice Road Soundtrack.

Carly Pearce said that Scott Borchetta, the head of Big Machine Records, approached her about doing a song for the soundtrack. Then he asked Carly to sing what she calls, “One of my favorite country songs ever.” Other than her love for the song, she said that recording it was just fun. This is because she didn’t have to worry about the radio and could be as country as she wanted to be.

Long before Carly Pearce covered “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses,” it was a chart-topper for Kathy Mattea. She released the song as the second single from her 1988 album Untasted Honey.

“Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses,” is a classic. It’s about a trucker named Charlie who has been driving over the road for thirty years. After all that time, he is finally able to retire. So, he plans to spend the rest of his days on the highway in a Winnebago with his loving wife. The overall concept of the song is sweet.

At the end of the day, there is some great writing behind “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses.” Paul and Gene Nelson put together a fantastic story. Then, Kathy Mattea and Carly Pearce lent their stellar vocal talents to the song. Both versions are hard to beat.