The couple are spending more and more time in Colorado these days. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Category: Music
At 18 years old, Lainey Wilson wrote a letter to her fellow Louisiana native, Tim McGraw, in a desperate effort to make her dreams of being a singer/songwriter come true. Unfortunately, the letter went unanswered…until now.
Even though she never received the advice she was seeking at the time, Wilson still managed to break her way into the music industry and over the weekend things came full circle when she finally got to meet McGraw for the first time and get that long-overdue response.
That simple but powerful letter now hangs in Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame. When she wrote it, Wilson was still just a dreamer living in her hometown. She saw how McGraw, someone who lived just a 30-minute drive down the road, was able to make it in the business so she thought what better person to get advice from than him?
Fans got to hear Wilson read the letter out loud in a clip of her Netflix documentary, Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool.
Lainey Wilson reads the letter she wrote to Tim McGraw when she was 18 in nursing school 🥲
Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool is now playing! pic.twitter.com/vAu5xHaIxA
— Netflix (@netflix) April 22, 2026
It reads:
Dear Mr. Tim McGraw,
My name is Lainey Wilson from Franklin Parish, Baskin, Louisiana. I am 18 years old and have just entered my first semester at Louisiana Delta Community College of Monroe to pursue a nursing degree.
I have been writing songs since I was 9 years old. When you listen to my CD, I want you to know that this is a sample of what I write. I have many others and they are just as good.
Please consider meeting with me and my family. Singing, writing and performing are the most important things in my life. All I need is the opportunity and I can do the rest.
Sincerely, Lainey Wilson
Up until last week, the “Somewhere Over Laredo” singer still hadn’t gotten the chance to meet Tim McGraw and personally tell him about that very special hand-written note from many years ago. The two finally came face-to-face on Saturday night, June 6, while sound checking for their surprise duet that would take place later that night at Nissan Stadium for CMA Fest.
A behind-the-scenes video shows the moment Wilson feels all the emotions as she realizes she was just moments away from fulfilling her childhood dream.
“He don’t understand how much of an influence he is to me. I made up dance routines to every song he ever had and I might show him,” she said jokingly.
After sharing a hug on stage, McGraw admits, “I finally found out about your letter.” They went on to swap memories from their hometown and Wilson opened up about him being her first very concert back in Louisiana before ironing out details for their CMA Fest performance, where she joined him in singing his 1995 hit, “I Like It, I Love It.”
While backstage preparing for the epic on-stage moment, McGraw went over to Wilson holding a white envelope in his hand and admitted that he was embarrassed when he first learned he had missed the letter from her.
Wilson brushed it off saying she probably gave it to a family member of his who never ended up passing it on. Tim McGraw wanted to make right by not only writing her a letter back but also penning a song inspired by the entire experience.
“I wrote you a letter back and I wrote it as though I had gotten a letter. So I wrote it like, had I gotten it, this is what I would have said,” he shared before adding, “Tom Douglas also wrote a song about the letter. So I’ll send that to you to hear it.”
“You are lying,” Wilson responded as a wave of shock washed over her face. She admitted his words were going to make her cry.
The two shared a hug and McGraw emphasized how proud he is of his fellow Baskin native.
“Mama and daddy are not going to believe this,” the female songstress continued. “I did text them earlier and I was like, ‘you won’t believe it. You won’t believe what finally happened after all these years.’”
While the response took years to arrive, the timing couldn’t have been more fitting. That hopeful young girl who once asked Tim McGraw for a chance is now standing beside him as one of country music’s biggest stars.
The post WATCH: Lainey Wilson Finally Gets a Response to the Letter She Wrote Tim McGraw at 18 appeared first on Country Now.
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![<a href="https://countrynow.com/hannah-harper-reflects-on-dream-come-true-opry-debut-with-carrie-underwood-exclusive/" target="_blank">Hannah Harper Reflects on Dream-Come-True Opry Debut With Carrie Underwood [Exclusive]</a>](https://countrynow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Hannah-Harper-by-Chris-Hollo-683x1024.jpg)
Hannah Harper’s Grand Ole Opry debut became something even more unforgettable when Carrie Underwood surprised the audience by joining the American Idol Season 24 winner on stage for a duet that felt like a true full-circle moment.
A lot has changed for Harper in the past year. While standing inside the coveted wooden circle, the Missouri native admitted that it felt like there was a “power coming through my boots.” She took a moment to reflect on the fact that just one year prior, she was sitting on her couch at home hoping and praying that she would one day have the chance to share her original music with the world. Over the past few months, she has gotten to do that through her Idol journey.
When the time came for her to bring the song that started it all at her Idol audition, “String Cheese,” to the Opry stage, Harper admits she wanted to make it even more special by asking one of this season’s judges, Carrie Underwood, to join her in singing it.
Speaking to Country Now ahead of her performance at 19 Recordings’ “American Idols Live in Concert” event, Harper revealed she invited Underwood during the show’s season finale.
“Carrie and I were taking pictures and somebody popped up and was talking to us and so I kind of pinned her down. I said, ‘You want to sing ‘String Cheese’ with me? Verse two?’ And so she couldn’t say no. She was like, ‘Yeah!’ So we got to share that moment on the Opry and…it was a great time.”
Harper began by sharing the personal story behind the song to all those gathered in the pews of the Opry that night.
“When you get home and you have multiple kids and everybody needs something at the same time, its overwhelming,” she admitted. “But there’s no place that I would rather be. And it was in that moment, one of my babies was crying, the other was like, ‘I want to watch Bluey’ and then my son was like, ‘open my cheese’ and he was just flinging his cheese in my face and I was like, ‘leave me along with the dangum cheese,’” she recalled.
“The lord shook me in that moment and reminded me that my house is the greatest ministry that I’ll ever have and this is a song that I wrote for myself that I never thought the world would hear,” Harper added with tears flowing down her face.
“String Cheese” was first released on Mother’s Day 2025. The song that captures the reality of motherhood clearly resonated with Underwood, her fellow judges and the rest of the world during Harper’s stand-out audition.
After this moving introduction, it was finally time for Harper to showcase it on one of the most beloved stages in country music. Shortly after beginning the tune, she said “Welcome my momma friend, Mrs. Carrie Underwood.”
The country music superstar made an appearance in a stunning floor-length gown with pastel colors flowing through the multi-tiered ruffles. She confidently took the mic and joined Harper in a set of stunning harmonies before taking the lead on the second verse.
This moment marked a major milestone in Hannah Harper’s life and career, made even more meaningful by sharing the stage with Underwood. Harper also made history as the first female country artist to win American Idol since Underwood’s victory in 2005.
The rising star went on to explain that the entire experience of her Opry debut was a “dream come true.”
“One of my friends was holding my hand prior to me walking out and was like, ‘Something comes through the floor, just calm your nerves because so many legends have stood on that stage and you get to be one of them.’ And she was right as soon as I stepped on the floor, I felt like something came through my boots and helped me get through it and calm my body. And it was just an absolute dream to be there. It was amazing,” she reflected.
This was just one of many performances to come from Hannah Harper this year. Following the big night, she took the stage alongside fellow American Idol alums including Jordan McCullough, Keyla Richardson, Chris Tungseth, Braden Rumfelt, Brooks, Lucas Leon, Rae, and more for the 19 Recordings Presents Your American Idols event on June 3 at 6th & Peabody in Nashville.
Hannah Harper also plans to headline her String Cheese Tour and will join Lauren Alaina on select dates of her The Stages Tour in the fall.
The post Hannah Harper Reflects on Dream-Come-True Opry Debut With Carrie Underwood [Exclusive] appeared first on Country Now.
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Brad Paisley is urging his fans to sign a petition opposing the construction of a massive data center that is proposed to be built just 50 yards from the Nashville Zoo.
In a social media video, the country superstar called it “an absolute nightmare scenario” and urged, “this can’t happen” as he directed people to sign a petition which has now garnered over 358,000 signatures.
“By now you’ve probably heard about the proposed data center that they want to build next to the Nashville Zoo which is an absolute nightmare scenario,” Paisley said. “First of all, they don’t have the power to build this, they don’t have the water. It doesn’t belong there. It would be an enormous monstrosity, an absolute eye sore and detract in every way for not only that zoo, but also that area.”
He continued, “This Zoo is one of the sources of joy in this city. It’s one of the top zoos in the world. It is family memories. It is expanding itself. It’s got all of these plans to become even better as a resource for our city. So let’s sign the petition if you agree. And everyone I’ve talked to does. Sign the petition. Let’s stop it. They don’t have to do this here. Build them somewhere else, but let’s keep Nashville beautiful and as great an attraction as it’s always been.”
In a new update, The Nashville Zoo revealed that it has uncovered new information suggesting that the proposed data center is planned to be much larger than they initially revealed.
“Uncovered planning documents reference a second building that could exceed 202,000 square feet (3x larger than the first) with a 40-megawatt capacity, along with an electrical substation. Combined, that’s up to 50 megawatts of power capacity, enough to power up to 50,000 homes,” the update reads.
Due to these concerns, Nashville Zoo has initiated formal legal action. Land Use Attorney and former Metro Codes Director Bill Herbert has submitted a zoning appeal in an effort to challenge and overturn the permits that were approved for the project.
The Nashville Zoo is encouraging local residents to continue outreach to Metro Nashville Council Members and Mayor O’Connell, asking them to support BL2026-1391.
The zoo is also asking the public to attend the Planning Commission Public Hearing on Thursday, June 11 at 4 p.m. at 700 President Ronald Reagan Way. At the meeting, they are asking residents to speak in support of Council Member Rollin Horton’s BL2026-1391.
“We need to do everything we can to stop this data center from being built next to Nashville Zoo. Why does a project of this scale need to be located directly adjacent to some of the most endangered animals in the world? Until those questions are fully answered and the impacts are understood, we must continue speaking up. The potential consequences are too significant, and any damage could be irreversible,” the latest update concluded.
The Nashville Zoo already ranks as the 9th largest zoo in the United States by land area. It also stands as one of Tennessee’s top tourist destinations.
To view and sign the petition, click HERE.
The post Brad Paisley Calls Proposed Data Center Near Nashville Zoo an ‘Absolute Nightmare,’ Urges Fans to Sign Petition appeared first on Country Now.
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Category 10 was transformed into a country music hub last week as Billboard Country Live showcase brought high-energy performances and drew more than 32,000 fans to the bar, restaurant and entertainment venue over the course of two days.
The free concert series partnered with Under Armour to offer a standout lineup of country music’s biggest names, delivering an electric experience for fans in the heart of Music City during CMA Fest 2026. The demand for live music continued throughout weekend, with the venue hitting capacity multiple times.
The event began on Wednesday, June 3, with an exclusive rooftop gathering honoring Billboard’s Country Power Players, celebrating the genre’s most influential artists and executives shaping country music today. Several major honors were given out throughout the night, starting with the Icon Award presented to Miranda Lambert by Tom Douglas. Later on, HARDY presented the Rising Star Award to Tucker Wetmore, while Matt Rife honored The Red Clay Strays with the Groundbreaker Award.
Plus, the Neal Agency’s Austin Neal was named Executive of the Year, with the award presented by his father Kevin Neal following an introduction by Billboard’s Executive Vice President of Charts & Data Partnerships, Silvio Pietroluongo. Riley Green also took home the Hitmaker Award, presented by Clint Black.
The live music portion of the weekend kicked off the following day with a stacked roster of performers across two nights. On Thursday, June 4, The Red Clay Strays headlined, following unforgettable on-stage moments from Carly Pearce, Chase Rice, Corey Kent, Drew Baldridge, Hunter Hayes, Lanie Gardner, The Band Perry, The Grimm and Ty Myers.
The day also included a surprise appearance from Pearce, who delivered a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” before rolling through a hit-filled run of songs like “If I Don’t Leave, I’m Gonna Stay,” “Truck on Fire,” “What He Didn’t Do,” and “I Hope You’re Happy Now.”
Fans were also treated to an unforgettable moment from Baldridge when he surprised the crowd with news of his upcoming album FARM FAITH FAMILY before previewing his new track “Diesel and Dirt” and delivering moving performances of “Rebel,” “Tough People,” and “She’s Somebody’s Daughter.”
Before the night came to a close, The Red Clay Strays celebrated their new album Grateful dropping the following day with a powerful set that included “Don’t Wanna Know” and “Stones Throw.” Their set kept the momentum high, packed with fan favorites including “People Hatin’,” “Moments,” “Wanna Be Loved,” “No One Else Like Me,” “Wondering Why,” and more. With it being the band’s second time performing on Nashville’s famed Lower Broadway, they made it a point to turn the night into something unforgettable and it’s safe to say they delivered.
Friday, June 5 saw ACM New Male Artist of the Year Tucker Wetmore take over as headliner, delivering a standout set of hits. Earlier in the day, fans packed inside the bar located just off Broadway to see Alana Springsteen, Alexandra Kay, Ashley Cooke, Braxton Keith, Kaitlin Butts, Priscilla Block, Something Out West and Stella Lefty.
Lefty kept the surprises coming by welcoming Dan + Shay to the stage for a rendition of their smash “Tequila,” while Cooke shared the spotlight with comedian Matt Rife as she serenaded him with her flirty tune, “Baby Blues.”
Chanel West Coast also debuted an unreleased track called “Tennessee,” and the Tennessee Titans Blue Crew also took the stage alongside Chloe Holladay Hubbard for a performance moment of their own.
Day two wrapped with Tucker Wetmore bringing his signature dance moves, high energy and addicting songs to an at-capacity crowd. His setlist included “Proving Me Right,” “Wine Into Whiskey,” “3,2,1,” “Wind Up Missin’ You,” and “Brunette,” plus a first listen at a new unreleased song, “Who Told You That.”
The night didn’t end there because after Wetmore made his way off the stage, Billboard Country Live rolled into an afterparty led by DJ duo Country Night, which was capped off with a surprise appearance from Lil Debbie, Avery Anna’s alter ego.
The post Billboard Country Live 2026 Welcomes 32,000 Fans for Two Days of High-Energy Sets, Surprise Guests in Nashville appeared first on Country Now.
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Alan is very proud of his grand niece and her music. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
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