Lainey Wilson Lights Up Nashville With a Sold-Out Whirlwind Tour Stop
On Thursday night, October 2, Lainey Wilson turned Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena into a country music celebration for the ages. Performing to a sold-out crowd, Wilson marked her very first time headlining the iconic venue — and she made sure it was a night no one would forget.
A Star-Studded Night of Surprises
Throughout the evening, Wilson brought out a parade of surprise guests who kept fans on their feet. The biggest cheers of the night came when five-time ACM Award winner Ella Langley joined her on stage for a live rendition of “Good Horses” — originally recorded as a duet with Miranda Lambert.
Wilson also welcomed Muscadine Bloodline for an acoustic performance of their emotional collaboration “Pieces.” Later, she teamed up with Ernest for “What If I Could,” filling the arena with their seamless harmonies.
But the biggest surprise came in the final moments of the show, when Wilson stunned the audience by bringing out Jelly Roll to close the night with their chart-topping duet “Save Me.”
“Save Me” — And a Moment That Stopped the Show
Originally released in 2020, “Save Me” found new life when Jelly Roll invited Wilson to record a remix. Their version soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, and has since gone 3x Platinum.
After their powerful performance, Jelly Roll took a moment to speak directly to Wilson in front of thousands of cheering fans.
“I want you to know, as a girl dad, what you mean to my family and my daughter and all these little girls in this building,” he said. “You are the role model us parents were praying for.”
He continued, praising Wilson’s courage and influence:
“You encouraged young women to be brave, to be bold, to share their testimony. You brought the bell bottoms back, girl! You made country music cool again! A 66-city Whirlwind Tour sounds like Entertainer of the Year to me. I love you, Lainey Wilson!”
The crowd erupted as Jelly Roll removed his hat and pulled Wilson into a heartfelt hug — a moment that perfectly captured the spirit of the night.
A Reigning Queen of Country
Jelly Roll’s words echo the sentiment of many in the country music world. Wilson is once again nominated for Entertainer of the Year at the upcoming CMA Awards, a title she won in 2023. If she takes home the trophy again, she’ll become only the third woman in history to win the honor twice.
And this year, she’ll be doing more than just performing — she’ll be hosting the 2025 CMA Awards solo, after co-hosting alongside Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning last year.
From emotional duets to roaring applause, Lainey Wilson’s Nashville homecoming wasn’t just another stop on her Whirlwind World Tour — it was a defining moment in the career of one of country music’s brightest stars.
