Lainey Wilson’s “Somewhere Over Laredo” Soars to No. 1 and the Story Behind the Song Is Just as Fearless
- All Country News
- 15 minutes ago
- 3 min read
There are hit songs, and then there are songs that announce themselves, the kind that need only a single note to bring an entire crowd to its feet. Lainey Wilson’s “Somewhere Over Laredo” belongs firmly in the latter category. This week in Nashville, BMI hosted industry insiders and press to celebrate Wilson’s ninth career No. 1, a milestone that feels less like a victory lap and more like a marker in an already legendary ascent.
Inside the room, the mood was celebratory but reverent, fitting for a song that has grown from a quiet instinct into a career-defining moment.
A Hook You Can Hear Before the Words Arrive
Wilson, never one to separate storytelling from experience, shared how she first realized the song had a life of its own, not in a studio, but 40 feet above a crowd.
“So at the show, I would go up on this, I don’t even know what you call it, this thing that would go like 40 feet in the sky,” Wilson laughed. “And I have this cape thing on, and I would just try not to look down, because I am a little scared of heights.”
But fear vanished the moment the song’s now-iconic piano line rang out.
“Every single time that piano part would come on, people would lose their mind,” she said. “To me that is like a really good sign that a song is gonna stand the test of time — whenever you can tell what song it is by literally the second note.”
Night after night, city after city, the reaction was the same. “They would just start screaming no matter where we were,” Wilson added. “That’s an exciting feeling for a songwriter when you know the hook is unstoppable.”
The Version That Almost Didn’t Happen
What fans may not know, and what makes the No. 1 all the sweeter is that “Somewhere Over Laredo” wasn’t an instant lock. The song itself came easily, Wilson admitted, but its final form did not.
“We recorded this song a few different times,” she said. “And I felt like my spirit was telling me it wasn’t right just yet.”
The breakthrough came far from Music Row, during a soundcheck in Copenhagen while Wilson was overseas playing shows. There, in an unguarded moment, the song finally found its shape.
“We worked up this version of it and then went back into the studio and recorded it for the third time,” Wilson revealed. “I know Jay Joyce was ready to wring my neck. He was ready to get me.”
Still, she trusted her instincts and kept pushing.
Fighting for the Feeling, Not the Song
What’s striking about Wilson’s reflection is her clarity about where the fight truly lived. It wasn’t in the writing, but in the way the story was told.
“We didn’t really have to fight for the song,” she said. “I feel like the song was kind of given to us. But I knew the song was so special that the arrangement — it had to be right.”
That patience paid off. “Somewhere Over Laredo” now stands as her ninth No. 1, a testament not just to momentum, but to discernment, the willingness to wait until a song feels honest all the way down to its bones.
A Career Defined by Instinct
As BMI glasses clinked and congratulations echoed through the room, it was clear this celebration marked more than a chart position. It honored an artist who listens to crowds, to collaborators, and most importantly, to her gut.
With “Somewhere Over Laredo,” Lainey Wilson didn’t just chase a hit. She chased the feeling. And nine No. 1s in, it’s a strategy that keeps taking her higher, even if she still prefers not to look down.
ALL COUNTRY NEWS
Country Music News & Entertainment
Country Music Country Music News Country Music Outlet Latest Country News Recent Country News New Country Music Newest Country Music New Country Music Newest Country Music New Country Songs Country Music Out Today Country Songs Out Today Country Music Out Now Country Songs Out Now Nashville News Country Music Industry News Country Music Blog Country Music Podcast Country Music Playlist Country Music Playlists Country Music Social Media Country Stars Country Artists Rising Country Artists Rising Country Artist Country Legend Country Legends Country Music Press Country Music Publicity Country Music Fans Country Music Website 2026 Country Music Concerts in 2026 Country Music Tours 2026
Comments