Lainey Wilson and soon-to-be husband Devlin “Duck” Hodges walked the red carpet for the first time as an engaged couple at the 2025 ACM Awards on Thursday evening (May 8).
The 32-year-old country superstar and 29-year-old former NFL quarterback, cozied up on the red carpet and allowed their love for each other to shine while they posed for photos. Wilson sizzled in a black sequin bell-bottom outfit adorned with gold accents, while her fiancé kept it classic in a modern black and white suit featuring a bold belt buckle. Both completed their looks with matching black cowboy hats.
How Did The Couple Meet?
Lainey Wilson and Devlin Hodges first met in Nashville in 2021 through mutual friends. Their first date was at Silverado Dance Hall & Saloon, a venue that has since closed. After quietly dating for more than two years, they made their relationship public in May 2023 by walking the red carpet together at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM Awards). Since then, they’ve moved in together, gotten engaged, walked several red carpets, supported each other publicly on numerous occasions, and are now preparing for marriage.
Lainey Wilson is nominated for seven awards, including Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (Whirlwind), Song of the Year (“4X4XU” – as both artist and songwriter), Visual Media of the Year (“4X4XU”), and Artist-Songwriter of the Year — the latter of which she has already won.
2025 ACM Awards
The 2025 ACM Awards will kick off in a big way, celebrating 60 years of country music with a must-see opening performance on Thursday, May 8. An all-star lineup — including Clint Black, Dan + Shay, Wynonna Judd, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, and Sugarland — will take the stage for a special 12-minute medley honoring ACM Songs of the Year from the past six decades.
The night will also be packed with incredible performances from top artists such as Wilson, Blake Shelton, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Kelsea Ballerini, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, Ella Langley, Zach Top, Alan Jackson, and Brooks & Dunn — with many more surprises in store.
Fans can also look forward to star-studded collaborations, including the Backstreet Boys with Rascal Flatts, a powerful duet from Jelly Roll and Shaboozey, and a high-energy joint performance by Brooks & Dunn with Cody Johnson. Plus, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson will debut their new track “Trailblazers.”
A-list presenters will include Crystal Gayle, ERNEST, Gabby Barrett, Gretchen Wilson, Lee Ann Womack, Jordan Davis, Lionel Richie, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Rita Wilson, Sara Evans, The Oak Ridge Boys, Chase Elliott, Amber Anderson, Kelly Sutton, and many more.
Hosted by the legendary Reba McEntire — a 16-time ACM Award winner — The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards will stream live exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch for a global audience in over 240 countries and territories. The show airs Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 8/7 PM CT, live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas — the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys.
