Lainey Wilson Honors Tim McGraw in Full-Circle Moment at Country Music Hall of Fame Ceremony

Lainey Wilson had the opportunity to honor one of her longtime musical heroes, Tim McGraw, during his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday, October 18. Wilson was among the artists who took the stage at the annual Medallion Ceremony to celebrate McGraw, alongside Lady A and Parker McCollum, who each performed a hit from the country star’s catalog.

The star-studded event was held in the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Wilson sang 1997’s “Just To See You Smile,” a song that became a major moment in McGraw’s career as it made history setting a record for the longest-running country single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in the 90s.

In addition to the performance, Wilson also reflected how the experience of getting to honor the same artist who inspired her to pursue a career in country music long before she became a star herself truly felt so full circle. She particularly spoke about the letter she had written to her fellow Louisiana native back when she was just 18 years old, in a desperate effort to make her dreams of being a singer/songwriter come true.

Lainey Wilson, Tim McGraw; Photo by Terry Wyatt/Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum The letter went unanswered until this summer when the pair met for the first time and McGraw finally got to not only read it, but finally give his long-awaited response to Wilson.

Loading the full story…