About Carly!
Carly Rikard got her first taste of music at a very young age while sitting around her grandpa’s house after Sunday lunch — surrounded by flattop guitars, good family harmony, and the sweet sound of country storytelling. Like many artists who grew up singing in church, Carly quickly discovered that music wasn’t just something she loved — it was part of who she was. By the age of six, she had her first guitar and was already picking out chords with a natural sense of rhythm and an ear for harmony that came so effortlessly.
As a young performer, she brought the house down at the 5th grade talent show with her rendition of Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel,” and soon after was invited to perform with the Robbie Cockrell Band — wowing audiences with “Wagon Wheel” and “My Church” by Maren Morris. Around that same time, she also began writing her own music, debuting an original song titled “My Old Guitar” at the SC Farm Bureau talent show.
Since then, Carly has continued to grow as both a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist — adding mandolin, fiddle, and piano to her repertoire. She has worked hard to develop her own style: a unique blend of classic country and modern bluegrass, with touches of pop and southern rock woven throughout. Over the years, she became a regular featured guest with Dave Watson and the Honky Tonk Heroes — earning fan-favorite status when she belted out Loretta Lynn’s “Love is the Foundation.”
Today, Carly is pursuing her passion professionally as a Music Business major at Belmont University in Nashville, TN — sharpening her craft, learning the industry from the inside out, and building the foundation for a career as a songwriter-artist. When she’s not writing or performing, you can likely find her back home with her horses, or working hands-on with large farm animals — fueling the values of grit, work ethic, and deep-rooted authenticity that also shine through in her music.
This girl has proven she’s not afraid of hard work. With her perseverance, creativity, and pure love for storytelling, Carly is well on her way — and she’s just getting started.