Lainey Wilson manifested a duet with Dolly Parton. A year ago, she told Entertainment Tonight, that the country legend would be a “dream come true” to work with. Wilson’s bucket list collaboration will soon be a reality. Ahead of the 2023 ACM Awards, Parton spoke with ET Canada’s Brittnee Blair and confirmed a duet with the “Heart Like A Truck” singer.
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The collaboration is expected to live on The Judds’ tribute album, which has yet to be announced. “With Lainey Wilson…. I just did, with her, we’ve got a song we did for The Judds,” said Parton, before co-hosting the star-studded affair alongside Garth Brooks. “They’re doing an album for The Judds for mental illness and some of the problems that [Naomi Judd] had.”
Parton continued, “So they’re doing a whole album of the songs, and I got to do ‘Mama He’s Crazy’ with Lainey. I don’t even know her. So, I’m going to get a chance to visit.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer presented Wilson with Female Vocalist of the Year at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards. While receiving the prestigious accolade, the breakout star had a fan-girl moment over Parton. “I can’t believe I just met Dolly Parton, first of all,” said Wilson. “This is so crazy,” she added before honoring women in country music.
Wilson’s love for Parton is displayed in her music. Her award-winning album, Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’, includes “WWDD,” a track about the country trailblazer. “WWDD” is short for “What Would Dolly Do,” a mantra Wilson lives by.
“If we all did it a little more like Dolly, we’d be lookin’ at a world with a little less rain and a lot more rainbows,” Wilson told Rolling Stone. “She’s an icon around the world for a reason — from her music to the way she gives, to her business sense, to the way she looks, to her lighthearted witty sense of humor — no one does it quite like Dolly does.”
The award-winning vocalist, slated to release her Rock & Roll album on Nov.17, said she was unaware of the tribute track.
“Oh! I didn’t even know that,” said Parton, according to Music Mayhem. “That’s what I mean about the younger people having some of us older people to look up to. We’re kind of like parents and something to them.” Wilson and Parton have yet to confirm a release date for the duet.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for ACM
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