Carly Pearce considered Patty Loveless an inspiration while crafting her latest hit, “Next Girl.” Then, when it came time to expand 29, the fellow Kentuckian once again looked to the 1996 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year.

But when Carly reached out to the respected traditionalist — who hasn’t released a new album since 2009 — Patty had different ideas about singing on the new record.

“This is a great, funny Opry story, honestly…” Carly explains. “I asked her to be a part of this different song on my album. And she said, ‘You know, I don’t think that that song is right for my voice. But I was watching the live stream of the Opry a couple of nights ago. And you debuted this song about Loretta Lynn. And I really — can I sing on that song?'”

“And I was like, ‘Patty Loveless is asking me if she can sing on a song,'” Carly recalls in disbelief. “And it felt just so meant to be, and if I wouldn’t have [sung] it on the Opry, I don’t know that that would have even happened.”

Patty recorded her part of the duet separately, which resulted in another overwhelming moment for Carly.

“I’ll never forget [writer/producer] Shane McAnally saying… ‘Are you sitting down? I need you to listen to this,'” Carly remembers. “And he sent me her voice on it. And she sang more than we thought she was gonna sing, which was beautiful.”

“And I cried the whole way home, driving,” Carly admits, “because… it felt like my big sister was singing with me.”

Carly and Patty have since “shared many FaceTimes” and “sit up late talking,” having become “dear friend[s].”

You can check out “Dear Miss Loretta” now, ahead of the September 17 arrival of 29: Written in Stone.

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