Lainey Wilson On Drawing Career Inspiration From Reba McEntire: “She’s Not Scared To Do All Of It”

It’s been a banner year for Lainey Wilson, but the Louisiana native is only just getting started.

After more than a decade spent trying to break into the county music industry, Wilson’s career finally took off in 2022. In the two years since, she won her first Grammy, nabbed a role on Yellowstone, and was named CMA Entertainer of the Year.

Speaking with Audacy’s Rob + Holly at Tortuga Music Festival last week, the 31 year old reflected on her recent successes and how she finds career inspiration in the decades-long reign of the Queen of Country, Reba McEntire.

“It’s so crazy because it seems like all kinds of blessings have all come at once. Like, y’all know I’ve been in Nashville for 13 years, but I feel like my dreams keep kind of adding on," Wilson said. "Like, I have dreams now that I didn’t even know that I had."

“When it comes to the acting stuff, I want to dabble in that a little bit more," she added. "There’s so much that I want to do.”

Yellowstone showrunner Taylor Sheridan famously wrote the character of Abby, an aspiring country music artist and a love interest to ranch handler Ryan introduced in season five, specifically for Wilson.

With her toes in both television and music, the songstress is walking a path similar to the one McEntire set out on 30 years ago. And that’s no accident.

“When I think about the kind of careers that I want to have, I think of, like, Reba. She’s not scared to do all of it,” Wilson said.

Not only has McEntire been a pillar of country music since the early ‘90s, she’s also appeared in films and a variety of television shows, written best-selling books, and created her own retail empire. She even owns a restaurant in Oklahoma.

That’s the kind of legacy Wilson is working towards.

“At the end of the day, awards are nice. You accept it, it’s a gift. But, I can’t let that be the thing that drives me,” Wilson said.

Listen to Lainey Wilson's Biscuits & Jam podcast

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