Back in the late 1960s, the Academy of Country Music sought to celebrate the contributions of singers when it came to country music. Wanting to honor the rich history the genre played in the music industry, the ACM Awards shined a light on stars like Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Reba McEntire, and even Lainey Wilson. Just last year, Wilson walked away with the Entertainer of the Year Award. And with Wilson expanding her career over the year, the ACM Awards welcomed her back for a special performance. But she won’t be alone as Eric Church and Blake Shelton will also perform.
Videos by American Songwriter
On May 8th, the 2025 ACM Awards will kick off at the Ford Center for the third year with Reba hosting. Although the nominations for the event will be released on March 27th, the awards wanted to share a taste of what fans should expect. And the first list of performers included Wilson.
Recently, Wilson took part in the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry with a special performance that saw her holding the guitar of Hank Williams. Standing on the stage with Marty Stuart, the singer honored Williams with a cover of his classic hit “Lonesome Highway.” She also performed her own song “Things A Man Oughta Know.”
[RELATED: “Not for Me at All”: Lainey Wilson Perfectly Shuts Down “Frustrating” Beyoncé Question]
Lainey Wilson Still Gets Nervous Performing
Although performing in front of fellow stars and thousands of fans, Wilson admitted she still got nervous before going on stage. “It depends on what day it is. You know what I’m saying? I mean, we’re human. And just like a basketball player, they’re not going to have great games every single day. They’re going to miss some shots here and there at times. I’m a female, so there are moments where I’m just like, ‘Oh, am I cool? Can I do this?’ And then as soon as I get out there, I remember, I’m like, ‘The Lord gave me this gift.’ And I know it’s a gift.” She added, “This is what I was born to do.”
With Wilson’s career taking off, she not only embraced the wild lifestyle of a country singer, but also took the advice of others when it came to soaking in the moment. “This past year, I’ve been able to take a step back and not be as crazy busy and really soak in these moments. It’s so important. And so many people have told me that, artist friends who have been around for a long time, they’re like, I’m telling you, look up, because you’re going to blink and it’s going to be 20 years and they’re just gone. And you’re going to be like, man, I don’t even remember that time of my life and I don’t want to do that.”
While her career is only starting, don’t miss Wilson, Shelton, and Church performing at the 2025 ACM Awards, airing live on May 8th at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Prime Video and Twitch.
(Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.