Before she was a Grammy-winning country singer and two-time Entertainer of the Year, Lainey Wilson was a small-town girl growing up in tiny Baskin, Louisiana. With just 170 people in town, the “Country’s Cool Again” singer, 33, knew nearly all her neighbors. During a recent appearance on Sirius XM’s Life with John Mayer show, Wilson gave an example of how small-town living is often both a blessing and a curse.
How a Teenage Lainey Wilson Escaped a Speeding Ticket
At 15 years old, officers pulled over Lainey Wilson for driving 75 mph in a 45-mph speed limit zone.
Videos by American Songwriter
Appearing before a judge to learn her punishment, the “Hang Tight Honey” singer was met with a familiar face and an unusual proposition.
“Thank goodness the judge was my next-door neighbor,” Wilson told Mayer. “And he made me write a song about speeding.”
She then proceeded to sing, “Going 75 in a 45, da da da.” And while it’s not exactly “Somewhere Over Laredo”, the improvised tune apparently got the job done.
Wilson often speaks of her small-town country upbringing. During a recent appearance on the No Filter podcast, she talked about the pros and cons of living in a tight-knit community where “everybody knows everybody.
“It’s like, the best thing and the worst thing … it’s like they’re there when you need ’em, and they’re there when you don’t,” she said. “They’re just there.”
She Has Big Plans—And Not All Involve Music
Professionally, Lainey Wilson is at the top of her game, selling out arenas and racking up awards. However, music isn’t her only priority.
In her new Netflix documentary, Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool, the 16-time ACM Award winner revealed that she chose to freeze her eggs before her now-fiancé, Devlin “Duck” Hodges, popped the question last February.
The couple had been dating for more than two years before Wilson publicly revealed their relationship in May 2023.
“I think I’d make a great mama, and I think there needs to be more people in the world like Duck,” she said. “So [parenthood] is definitely a dream of ours.”
Don’t take this to mean that her career is currently on hold, however. Wilson is gearing up for her headlining debut at Stagecoach this weekend, and she’s planning to give the audience an experience they won’t soon forget.
“We talking, like, your girl’s never done pyro. I’m doing pyro,” she told John Mayer.
Featured image by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Netflix
Most Viewed
-
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 08: EDITORIAL USE ONLY Kenny Chesney performs onstage during the 57th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 08, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/WireImage) -
Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images -
Photo by Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Acrisure Amphitheater -
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Lainey Wilson performs onstage during the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for ACM) -
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 04: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Ella Langley performs during the 2026 CMA Fest at Nissan Stadium on June 04, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic) -
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 17: Chris Stapleton attends the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM) -
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 20: Kirk Hammett of Metallica performs at Levi's Stadium on June 20, 2025 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images) -
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 03: Canadian musician, singer and songwriter David Clayton-Thomas (Blood Sweat & Tears) performs at the Man Doki Soulmates: Wings Of Freedom Concert on March 3, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Isa Foltin/Getty Images for Man Doki Soulmates)