Lainey Wilson to be honored with “Lainey Wilson: Tough As Nails” exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.
Lainey Wilson To Be Honored With “Lainey Wilson: Tough As Nails” Exhibit
On Tuesday (June 17), the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled plans for a new exhibit that will take visitors through Lainey Wilson’s life and career, showcasing her journey from growing up on a farm in Baskin, Louisiana, to achieving international stardom.
“From a young age, Lainey Wilson had an unwavering vision and faith in herself,” said Kyle Young, chief executive officer of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “This exhibit will examine the seeds of her career, including the requisite talent, hard work and ingenuity throughout her ten-year journey in Nashville that fueled her emergence as a globally popular and beloved artist. As her career has flourished, she continues to reflect these roots and core values in her music and life.”
Wilson Reacts: “It’s A Dream Come True”
The country superstar admitted that “it’s a dream come true to have my own exhibit” in a statement. “It’s a dream come true to have my own exhibit in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and such an incredible honor to be included next to so many of my heroes and legendary artists,” Wilson shared in a press release. “These past few years have been a complete whirlwind, and it’s going to be really amazing to see the whole journey captured in the exhibit, along with some special items from growing up in Louisiana. I can’t wait to see how it turned out and for my family, friends and fans to check it out.”
To celebrate the exhibit, a Songwriter Session featuring Aaron Raitiere and Jon Decious will be held in the museum’s Ford Theater. Throughout the duration of the exhibit, the museum will also offer a range of programs, including family-friendly arts and crafts activities. Additional details about upcoming events can be found on the museum’s website.
The exhibition will showcase an array of artifacts, including stage outfits, instruments, personal mementos, photographs, and more.
Highlights of the Lainey Wilson exhibit include:
- The first tooled leather saddle Wilson used as a child.
- A custom-made silver and gold Montana Silversmiths belt buckle, featuring her family farm’s brand, worn at the 2022 CMA Awards.
- Wilson’s journal from age 16, where she wrote, “My dream is to become a country singer/songwriter. I know I can do it.”
- A Baskin School kindergarten graduation program listing her first public performance of “Butterfly Kisses.”
- One of Wilson’s earliest hats, gifted by a fellow musician and hatmaker.
- A “Go Vicki!” fringed jacket belonging to her mother, which she wore at Saddlebags in Savannah, Georgia, on February 9, 2018.
- A rhinestone-adorned Wrangler trench coat, denim vest, and jeans ensemble — paired with a Charlie 1 Horse by Lainey Wilson hat — worn during her Thanksgiving Day 2024 NFL halftime performance.
- A sequined tank top worn while impersonating Hannah Montana in the late 2000s.
- The floral shirt, Cat O’ Nine bell bottoms, and Kippys belt from her Grand Ole Opry debut on February 14, 2020.
- The glittering Wrangler vest and jeans with feather and rhinestone accents, and Rotate metallic bustier from her “Country’s Cool Again” show at Ascend Amphitheater on June 1, 2024.
- The denim vest and studded jeans worn during her “Yellowstone” appearance at Billy Bob’s Texas.
- The Dolce & Gabbana leather shirt and Alice + Olivia suede bell bottoms from her Whirlwind album photoshoot in 2024.
- The Norma Kamali patchwork blazer and bell bottoms worn on her first Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon appearance in May 2022.
- The Carolina Herrera strapless satin jumpsuit with flared ruffle hems, worn at the 2023 CMA Awards red carpet.
About Lainey Wilson
Lainey Wilson grew up in the small farming town of Baskin, Louisiana, where she began singing at her kindergarten graduation and writing songs by age 10. As a teen, she performed in local talent shows and even impersonated Hannah Montana, booking herself as the fictional pop star’s opening act.
In 2011, she moved to Nashville with dreams of making it big. With the help of producer Jerry Cupit and later manager Mandelyn Monchick, Wilson pressed on through early struggles. After signing a publishing deal with Sony/ATV in 2017 and a record deal with Broken Bow Records in 2018, her breakthrough came in 2020 when “Things a Man Oughta Know” hit No. 1—ten years after her arrival in Music City.
Since then, Wilson has dominated country radio with solo hits and standout duets. She won five CMA Awards in 2023, including Entertainer of the Year—becoming the first woman to earn the title since Taylor Swift in 2011—and has since won back-to-back ACM Entertainer of the Year honors.
