Lainey Wilson continues to set herself up for what looks to be a monumental year. She has just broken yet another record. The 30-year-old country singer/songwriter is now the “female artist with the shortest gap between No 1. songs on US Country Radio.”
According to US Radio Updater, Wilson’s “Heart Like A Truck” and “Wait In The Truck,” a collaboration with HARDY, has earned the top spot on country radio two times in the span of three weeks.
The last time a female country artist was able to conquer a similar feat was in 1983 when Crystal Gayle earned back-to-back No. 1’s within eight weeks. That year, Gayle took the top spot three times with “Baby, What About You,” Rodney Crowell’s “Till I Gain Control Again,” and “Our Love Is on the Faultline.”
“Heart Like A Truck”
Wilson’s latest achievement with both truck-themed songs follows another success. Near the top of the year, “Heart Like A Truck” and “Wait In The Truck” found Wilson snapping a 10-year record as both tunes landed in the Top 10 of the US Country Radio (Mediabase) chart, solidifying her as the “first female country artist in over a decade to simultaneously have two songs in the Top 10 at country radio.”
“Heart Like A Truck” was co-written by Lainey Wilson with Trannie Anderson and Dallas Wilson. The song, which appears on the Louisiana native’s second studio album, Bell Bottom Country, compares a woman’s heart to that of a truck and also represents the idea of freedom and strength. Wilson’s “Heart Like A Truck” reached the No. 2 spot on Billboard’s US Country Airplay and the No. 7 spot on the Hot Country Songs chart, respectively.
The music video for the song, meanwhile, earned Wilson an award for Female Video of the Year at the 2023 CMT Music Awards.
“Wait In The Truck”
“Wait In The Truck,” Written by HARDY with Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, and Renee Blair, finds Wilson playing the role of a victim alongside her duet partner who saves her from a harmful man. The murder ballad was released as the lead-off single from HARDY’s second studio album The Mockingbird & the crow, and rose to the top of the Mediabase Country Airplay Chart, notching HARDY’s third No.1 hit.
Bringing the emotionally-driven tune and real-life context to life, HARDY and Wilson captured the storyline with a cinematic music video, which finds HARDY playing the role of a protagonist and stranger to Wilson, who, thanks to him, escapes her abuser. Toward the end of the clip, Wilson is at a crossroads as she finds herself feeling guilty for being set free by an innocent bystander turned murderer, yet happy to be able to escape her abuser.
Directed by Justin Clough and produced by Taylor Vermillion and Ben Skipworth, the video for “Wait In The Truck” earned an award for Collaborative Music Video of the Year at the 2023 CMT Music Awards.
Lainey Wilson Is The Most-Nominated Female Artist At The 2023 ACM Awards
HARDY and Wilson are among the most-nominated artists at the upcoming 58th Academy Of Country Music Awards, with HARDY earning seven nods and Wilson receiving six. The upcoming ACM Awards, hosted by Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, will stream live on Thursday (May 11) at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT exclusively on Prime Video.
Along with that, Wilson, who, in March, wrapped her first-ever headlining tour, Country With A Flare, is eligible for an Emmy award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics for her song “Smells Like Smoke,” which debuted on season 5 of Yellowstone. Wilson also starred as a musician named Abby during season 5 of the hit drama series. The 2023 Emmy Awards will air on Monday, (Sept. 18) at 8 p.m. ET. on Fox.
Additionally, Wilson is currently serving as support on Luke Combs’ massive 2023 world tour. Riley Green, Flatland Cavalry, and Brent Cobb are also on the bill for the tour, which wraps up on July 29 in Philadelphia, PA, at Lincoln Financial Field.
