Lainey Wilson‘s extraordinary career is being honored with a new exhibit, Tough as Nails, opening next month at the Country Music Hall of Fame. The exhibit will feature items from Wilson’s life and career, including her rural, small-town upbringing in Baskin, Louisiana, all the way to her present-day superstar career.
“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 says. “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.”
“From a young age, Lainey Wilson had an unwavering vision and faith in herself,” adds Kyle Young, CEO 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.”
Among the items to be featured in Tough as Nails are Wilson’s first tooled leather saddle she used as a child; her journal she wrote in when she was 16 years old, the outfit she wore during her halftime performance at the NFL game with the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants on Thanksgiving Day in 2024, the sequined tank top she wore as a Hannah Montana impersonator, and much more.
The Tough as Nails exhibit is only part of an unforgettable few years Wilson has had, ever sine her debut “Things a Man Oughta Know” single was released in 2020. She has gone on to win major awards, sell out large arenas, have a long line of No. 1 hits, become a Grand Ole Opry member and more.
Wilson is also extending her creative talents beyond music, when she stars in the feature film, Reminders of Him, an adaptation of the best-selling book by Colleen Hoover.
“After Yellowstone, after I played a musician role, I told my manager, ‘The next thing I want to do is something where I step outside of that,’” Wilson tells Country Living. “And this was the first opportunity that had presented itself to us, and that felt great. For the very first time, I’m playing a character that’s not a musician. It’s cool for me to be able to step into other people’s shoes and write from their perspective, so this gave me an opportunity to step into a pair of shoes and act from a different point of view.
“It was fun,” she adds. “It just gave me a creative outlet, and I really enjoyed it. We’ll see what else happens, but I can see myself doing more of it for sure.”
Wilson has a Top 30 hit with “Somewhere Over Laredo.” The song is from her forthcoming Whirlwind Deluxe album. Tough as Nails will open on July 18, and remain open through June of 2026.
Find all of Wilson’s music and upcoming shows at LaineyWilson.com.