Carly Pearce Pays Tribute to Riley Strain While Onstage in His Home State [Watch]

Like most of America, Carly Pearce was glued to news outlets to hear the latest updates on the recent case of missing University of Missouri student Riley Strain.

Strain's body was discovered Friday, March 22, in the Cumberland River. Pearce had a planned show in his home state Friday night, and took a moment to pay tribute to the young man with some kind words and a song.

Related: What Happened to Riley Strain?

Wearing all black at the time, Pearce spoke the following words to the crowd:

"I do not feel like I can live in Nashville and be in the state of Missouri tonight and not say that we love you Riley Strain. I just wanna say that I’m thinking of his family and I’m thinking of his friends and anybody that knows him in this room that knows him and I wanna dedicate this to them."

Then, she sang her hit song "Every Little Thing," but the lyrics rang a little differently in light of Strain's untimely death.

Every little thing / I remember every little thing

The high, the hurt, the shine, the sting / Every little thing

I remember every little thing / I'm haunted by the memories of Every little thing

It was a heartfelt moment that resonated with the crowd, and no doubt Strain's family and friends.

• Riley Strain's body was found in the Cumberland River on Friday (March 22).
• The location of his body was eight miles downstream from where he was last seen.
• He'd been asked to leave Luke Bryan's Luke's 32 Bridge bar on Lower Broadway before he disappeared.

Evan Paul is the host of Taste of Country Nights, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 130 country radio stations nationwide, every night from 7PM to midnight. He plays the best new country music and interviews today's top stars, like Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lady A, + more!