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Lainey Wilson Launches Week Of Giving

Lainey Wilson took the stage at the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Halftime Show as part of The Salvation Army’s 134th Red Kettle Campaign. During her performance, Wilson performed a medley of…

Lainey Wilson is on stage performing in a sparkly outfit with a white cowboy hat and holding a microphone.
Sam Hodde/Getty Images

Lainey Wilson took the stage at the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Halftime Show as part of The Salvation Army’s 134th Red Kettle Campaign. During her performance, Wilson performed a medley of her hits, including her current radio single, "4x4xU." She also surprised fans by bringing out Jelly Roll to perform their chart-topping collaboration, "Save Me."

In the spirit of giving this holiday season, Lainey’s own charity, The Heart Like A Truck Fund is launching the Heart Like A Truck Fund Week of Giving, to make donations to various organizations throughout the week in honor of Giving Tuesday (12/3).

Each day, Wilson will spotlight a different organization to raise awareness and contribute to their cause. The week kicked off yesterday with a donation to The Salvation Army, followed by a contribution to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital today (12/4). Later in the week, Lainey will support organizations chosen by her fans, resulting in Wilson’s Heart Like a Truck Fund committing to donate over $70,000 throughout the initiative.

The singer is nominated for Best Country Album for her album Whirlwind at the upcoming 67th Annual Grammy Awards. The album was released via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville this past summer and earned Wilson her best sales week as the record debuted at #8 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart—her first top 10 entry.

Wilson brought a young girl on stage recently who could very well be her "mini-me." Lainey posted the emotional exchange on her Instagram.

In the video posted, the country superstar reads a note that was sent up saying, "My daddy bet me a horse trailer if I get on stage." The girl comes up in a red and white flannel shirt and cowboy hat and gives Lainey a big hug. She tells Wilson, "You’re my favorite singer," to which Lainey replies, "Girl, you got spunk; let me see the shirt."

The little girl says, "My daddy is a farmer he does hard work for me and raises me up as a farmer and I love him." Wilson turns to the audience and says, "Y’all, I just think I met my best friend."

The little girl then says, "You’re my best friend," and Lainey says, "No, you’re my best friend." The young fan starts to recite her phone number to give to her best friend in the microphone and Wilson cuts her off and says, "Yes, we’re gonna get your number and we’re gonna talk." The girl says, "Can I please write it down for you I’ve got horses." Lainey tells the crowd, "Looks like she got horses. We definitely gonna be best friends." The girl asks her hero, "Can we be friends please?" and Lainey anxiously, "Yes."

Wilson has the girl repeat after her, saying, "I am beautiful. I am smart. I am talented. I can do anything. I am cowgirl of the night."

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.