Lainey Wilson Takes the CMA Fest Stage With a Country Legend

With Lainey Wilson scheduled to take the stage for CMA Fest 2025, fans already knew they were in for a great set. However, her appearance this year was even more exciting because of the country music legend she joined on stage: Wynonna Judd.

In a clip from the performance, the two singers smile and share a side hug as the audience cheers. Little Big Town band members Kimberly Schlapman and Karen Fairchild also got in on the action. The performance was part of Judd’s annual “Girls Night Out” event.

The Pair Previously Covered a Tom Petty Classic

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Performing alongside Judd would be a big honor for any country singer, but CMA Fest 2025 wasn’t Wilson’s first rodeo. The two joined forces back in 2024 for a powerful cover of “Refugee,” a Tom Petty classic from 1979.

In a YouTube video of the duet, the two singers appear in a recording studio together. Fans in the video’s comments section overwhelmingly praised the hard-hitting cover. “This might be the most powerful vocal female duet performance I ever heard,” one fan wrote. “What a tribute to Petty.” In a behind-the-scenes conversation about the song, Wilson said she was “super excited” to be part of the recording. For her part, Judd called Wilson “the next generation of greatness.”

Wilson has had a Lifelong Love for Judd’s Music

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In addition to recording a song with Judd and performing by her side, Wilson took part in a special tribute project in 2023. Wilson appears on “A Tribute to the Judds,” a compilation album honoring the legendary duo. “I mean, they were the soundtrack of my childhood,” Wilson explained to Us Weekly when discussing her involvement in the project. “I remember going to my [grandmother’s] house. She’d pick me and my sister up to go eat, and we would crank up the Judds.”

The “Somewhere Over Laredo” singer also shared details about getting to know Judd ahead of the album’s release. “I’ve gotten to know Wynonna over the last couple of months, and she’s been one of those ladies who has given me advice, high-fived me and told me I could do it,” Wilson said. As she also shared, words of encouragement from someone as accomplished as Judd goes a long way in boosting confidence. “When you hear it from people like that, it really does make you feel like you really can do it.” she said.