Photo: CeCe Dawson
Lainey Wilson unveiled a dreamy new ballad with a clever nod to one of the most well-known songs of all time.
The reigning Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year released “Somewhere Over Laredo” on Friday (May 23). Wilson teamed up with songwriters Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson and Andy Albert to bring the single to life. The lyrics feature “Wilson’s poignant storytelling and authentic country sound, as she reflects on past love and pays tribute to small towns across the country,” reads a press release issued Friday morning. The Louisiana-born country star pays tribute to “the timeless classic ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow,’” famously performed by actress Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz in 1939.
“Somewhere over Laredo/ Dreaming about those rodeo nights/ Laid there on the banks of the Rio/ New silver buckle on your jeans next to mine/ Couple wrong for each other, lone star-crossed lovers/ Born to get gone from the get-go/ But you’re on my mind every time I’m chasing this neon rainbow/ Somewhere over Laredo”
“When I’m flying between shows I catch myself looking out the window, talking to God, dreaming, or even reminiscing,” Wilson shared of her new song. “‘Somewhere Over Laredo’ tells a story that speaks to that. I’ve always been inspired by putting myself into other peoples’ shoes and telling stories from others’ perspective, but I’ve found a new creative avenue with this one putting myself back into a pair of shoes that I wore years ago.”
Wilson, who will perform “Somewhere Over Laredo” at the 2025 American Music Awards on Monday (May 26), most recently released “Trailblazer,” a collaboration with powerhouse country stars Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert. The trio delivered the world premiere performance at the 60th ACM Awards earlier this month in Frisco, Texas. Wilson also released “Bell Bottoms Up,” her bar anthem that takes on the same name of the venue she opened last year in Nashville, Tennessee. The Grammy winner’s latest full studio album is Whirlwind, her 14-track record that includes “Keep Up With Jones,” “Country’s Cool Again,” “Good Horses” with Lambert, “Whirlwind,” “Hang Tight Honey,” “4x4xU” and more.
Wilson also confirmed on Friday that the deluxe edition of Whirlwind will feature five new tracks when it arrives on August 22, the one-year anniversary of the original record. Listen to “Somewhere Over Laredo” here: