Lainey Wilson Ignites CMA Fest with Brooks & Dunn Duet After Stunning Beatles Cover

Lainey Wilson made CMA Fest history during opening night at Nissan Stadium, bursting onto the stage as the surprise guest of country legends Brooks & Dunn. Together, they tore into a fiery duet of “Play Something Country.” Safe to say the crowd absolutely lost it.

“It’s cool to be able to get on stage with those legends and kind of feel like they’re wrapping their arm around you,” Wilson told Country Now ahead of the performance. “I’m nervous, but it’ll be good.”

Spoiler alert: it was more than good. The Louisiana native brought her signature sass and powerhouse vocals to the 2005 hit. Originally, it served as the lead single off Brooks & Dunn’s “Hillbilly Deluxe.” The new duet version, featuring Wilson, was officially re-recorded for the duo’s “REBOOT II” project in 2024. But, CMA Fest was the first time fans got to see it come alive onstage.

The performance aired nationwide during “CMA Fest Presented by SoFi,” a three-hour primetime special on ABC, and social media lit up instantly. It was country grit, glam, and high-octane energy rolled into one unforgettable set.

From Honky-Tonk to Abbey Road

If covering one country classic wasn’t enough, Wilson flipped the script and also made headlines this week by channeling pure rock ‘n’ roll soul with a gritty, Southern-fried version of The Beatles’ “Come Together.” Yes, really.

The cover, filmed for Apple Music Sessions and released on June 25, surprised even the most die-hard Beatles fans.

Wearing a signature Wilson outfit including a fringe jacket, cowgirl hat, and boots, she leaned into her country roots while respecting the iconic swagger of the original. Her vocals, known for being raw, twangy, and confident, offered a fresh take that still managed to honor the spirit of John Lennon’s funky poetry.

The Year of Lainey Wilson

So far, 2025 has been nothing short of a banner year for Wilson. The Grammy winner picked up multiple ACM Awards, including Female Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for Whirlwind. Her single “Somewhere Over Laredo” continues to dominate the charts, and she recently wrapped a sold-out leg of her “Country With A Flare” tour.

And yet, through it all, Wilson still finds magic in CMA Fest, an event she’s been attending since she was 14.

“I’ve said this a few times before, but it really does feel like country music Christmas,” she said. “You get to see everybody. People from Australia, Germany, Scotland—folks from all over the world come to Nashville to see their favorite country artists, and it just makes you feel like part of something bigger.”

From duets with legends to reimagining Beatles classics, Lainey Wilson is proving, yet again, that she’s not just part of something big. She is something big a classic powerhouse that hass the power to bring fans to their feet with whatever she does.

And she’s just getting started.