Lainey Wilson Joins Chris Stapleton’s 2026 Tour After Expressing Collaboration Wish

Lainey Wilson has increasingly been seen as strategically planned and timed, as evidenced by recent coverage of her tour's success. Recent coverage has revisited a previous conversation Wilson had with People about the timing of her tour, and it seems to align with her current success in many ways. In discussions with industry experts, it is suggested that Wilson and her team were planning for a 2026 breakthrough as early as 2024, indicating that her tour's success is part of a carefully planned tour strategy rather than an unforeseen coincidence.

In addition to talking about her rise as a musician in the industry, the People profile gives details about the number of awards she has earned; the most notable is being named CMA's Entertainer of the Year for 2023, along with a collection of photographs showing her infamous "bell-bottom" style of clothing that is now a defining characteristic of her appearance. The publication sparked debate over whether Wilson achieved her current level of success because she publicly declared her desire to succeed or whether she was predetermined to end up where she is now.

That context is reinforced by a quote from the People interview, in which Wilson spoke candidly about future collaborations. "There's so many people on my list. I would love to do something with Miley Cyrus, of course. I mean, I used to impersonate Hannah Montana. So, I always say Miley, and I'm going to keep saying it until we do something together. When it comes to country, I'd love to do something with Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, the list goes on and on," shared Wilson.

The article also revisits Wilson's comments on new music from that same interview. "I have been writing some songs. It has been so much fun. Even in the past couple weeks, I've been feeling very inspired. We're trying to figure out which direction we are going, but the more songs that I write for the project, it seems like it's going to happen. I'm not the type of artist to write 12 or 15 songs, and that's what makes the record. I want to write 100 songs, and then we find the 12 or 15," Wilson stated.

In June 2025, Wilson publicly expressed hope to collaborate with Chris Stapleton, a remark many now view as potentially prophetic. For 2026, Wilson and Zach Top will open select dates on Stapleton's expanded All-American Road Show, which has added 24 dates and features a rotating lineup including Ashley McBryde, Maggie Rose, Grace Potter, Nikki Lane, and Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs.

Alongside those appearances, Wilson will continue her Whirlwind world tour, launching Feb. 26 in Auckland, New Zealand, and bringing U.S. dates beginning Mar. 20 in Thackerville, Oklahoma.