Morgan Wallen Reveals the Rock & Roll Story Behind His Iconic Piercing

Long before the days of “I’m The Problem” topping the music charts, Morgan Wallen had a very different look. In addition to a modern mullet, the singer rocked a dangling gold cross earring. Though he’s moved on from wearing this earring, the hilarious story of how he got his ear pierced – and how another country singer helped – still remains. In a throwback TikTok video, the country music star shares that his friend, HARDY, did the job.

“Me and him were talking about it,” Wallen says in the video while wearing the iconic earring. “And I said I gotta get a cross earring. I’m a Christian, I grew up a preacher’s son, so it kind of means a lot to me.” From there, the story takes a hilarious rock & roll turn.

The Friends Chose a Surprising Piercing Instrument

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A DIY piercing is already a risky proposition, but HARDY and Wallen’s instrument of choice takes the story to another level. They originally planned to use a needle, but, finding themselves without one, the pair decided to be resourceful.

“So we… there was no E string of the guitar, so we got the B string,” Wallen said, revealing the surprising piercing needle substitute they settled on. “And he stuck a guitar string through my ear, and that’s how he pierced my ear.” In the video, the audience bursts out laughing at this revelation.

Wallen and HARDY Have a Long History of Performing Together

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Wallen’s earring days may have been a phase, but his friendship with HARDY clearly has staying power. The throwback video ends with a clip of the pair performing “He Went to Jared,” a track off of HARDY’s 2019 mixtape, Hixtape, Vol. 1. However, this is far from the last time – or only time – the pair appeared on stage together.

In one of many shared performances, the friends played a throwback from Wallen’s catalog, “Up Down,” for a packed house at Knoxville’s Neyland Stadium in 2024. HARDY also collaborated with his long-time friend on a track for “I’m The Problem,” released in May 2025. The track, “Come Back As a Redneck,” is one of just a handful of duets on Wallen’s massive 37-song album.