Lainey Wilson is making history at the upcoming CMA Awards. Wilson, who hosted last year with Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will host the show solo this year, marking the first time a female has hosted the show by herself since Reba McEntire did 34 years ago, in 1991.
“I looked it up too, and I was like, there’s no way. I let Reba know I was doing this, and she was so excited,” Wilson says on Rolling Stone‘s Nashville Now podcast. “It’s been a long time since a woman has done it solo. I’m glad they trust me. I like to run my mouth, and I love country music.”
How Lainey Wilson Relies On Reba McEntire
It’s understandable that McEntire was one of Wilson’s first calls, since she has been a source of encouragement since the beginning of Wilson’s career.
“She believes in me, 190 percent,” Wilson reveals. “She’s done nothing but lift me up and encourage me. She’s the type of artist that, if you ask for – it doesn’t matter what it is, she’s gonna drop a bunch of wisdom on you. I’ll just text her anytime and be like, ‘What do you do in this situation? What do you do when you feel like you’re running 90 to nothing, and you’re trying to remind yourself why you’re doing this. What are the tools and tricks that you use to get recentered and focused?’ One time she told me, she said, ‘I think about my sister, who’s worked the same old job for 40 years.'”
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How Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning Reacted to Lainey Wilson Hosting the CMA Awards Solo
Wilson insists there are no hard feelings with Bryan and Manning, adding that they might be ready for a break.
“I guess Luke ain’t mad at me, ’cause I’ve talked to him since,” Wilson says. “Honestly, he was probably happy to have a year off. And Peyton too, because they’ve been doing that for a while now. They were so gracious for me last year to kind of bust up the party. … Those guys are such genuine people that I think they’re happy for me. I really do. I think they’re happy for me.
What Lainey Wilson Is Planning For Her Solo Hosting Debut
Wilson is already planning how she plans on hosting country music’s biggest night, which she says will likely include plenty of jokes at her friends’ expense.
“It’s gonna be fun to involve other artists, other people,” Wilson reveals. “Maybe have some bits. I think it’s going to be a lot of crowd participation, which i’m excited about.”
“If I can poke fun at people, hey, we’re good,” she adds. “I tried to get them to let me do it last year, and they were like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, that’s too far.’ But I go way back with these people. Let me make fun of Luke Combs, please.”
When Wilson was announced as a host of this year’s CMA Awards, she said she was eager to return for another year.
“I grew up watching the CMA Awards like it was the Super Bowl, so to be hosting for a second year is a true honor,” Wilson says. “I’m humbled that CMA has trusted me with this role, and I can’t wait to love on this genre that has given me so much.”
Wilson is tied with Ella Langley and Megan Moroney for the most nominations, with six each. See a complete list of nominations here. The 2025 CMA Awards will air live on Wednesday, Nov. 19 on ABC, and stream the next day on Hulu.