Bell Bottom Country: How Lainey Wilson Put Her Flare on Country Music
On October 28, 2022, Lainey Wilson released Bell Bottom Country, her second major label album and the record that took the Baskin, Louisiana native from rising artist to award-winning headliner. It plays like a mission statement: country at its core, with threads of '70s rock, funk and soul running through it, and a title that doubles as a description of the woman who made it.
A Title That Says It All
Wilson announced Bell Bottom Country on August 16, 2022, alongside Watermelon Moonshine, and first revealed the album art on a billboard in Times Square. It arrived just over a year after her major label debut, Sayin' What I'm Thinkin', and the title came straight from her own look and sound. Speaking with Taste of Country, Wilson said that while she loves a good pair of bell bottoms, the phrase has always been about "the flare and what makes someone unique," and that she had lived enough life since her last record to have plenty more to say.
Inside the Record
Jay Joyce produced the album at his Neon Cross studio in Nashville, and Wilson co-wrote every original song on it. The lone cover is What's Up (What's Going On), the 4 Non Blondes classic she had already been working into her live shows.
The standard edition runs 14 tracks, opening with Hillbilly Hippie, a title that could double as Wilson's own job description, and closing with the sweeping Wildflowers and Wild Horses. In between, songs like Road Runner, Grease, Atta Girl and Live Off show just how far that blend of country, rock and soul can stretch. Wilson released Live Off as a promotional single on September 23, 2022, after first sharing an acoustic performance of it with fans online.
One of the most personal moments is Those Boots (Deddy's Song), written as a tribute to her father. The record also features Charlie Worsham on guitar, banjo and mandolin and Molly Tuttle on background vocals and acoustic guitar.
The album kept growing after release day. When Wilson made her acting debut on Yellowstone in November 2022, she introduced two new songs on the show, Smell Like Smoke and New Friends, and both were added to the streaming and digital versions of Bell Bottom Country.
The Singles
Heart Like a Truck led the way on May 20, 2022, months ahead of the album. The song compares a heart that has been through it all to a trusty old pickup that keeps on running. It climbed into the top ten on Billboard's Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts and has since been certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA.
Watermelon Moonshine came next, a nostalgic look back at first love and the sweet homemade drink that marked it. Wilson said the song reflected the kind of storytelling she grew up with, and listeners clearly felt it. The single reached No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart in October 2023 and, according to Country Now, held the top spot for three straight weeks, matching Gabby Barrett's The Good Ones for the longest run at No. 1 by a solo female artist this decade.
Wildflowers and Wild Horses became the third single on November 13, 2023, and Wilson brought it to life with a cinematic performance at the 2023 CMA Awards.
Lainey Wilson performs Wildflowers and Wild Horses at the 57th Annual CMA Awards, the same night Bell Bottom Country won Album of the Year.
Along the way, the album peaked at No. 9 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart and No. 51 on the Billboard 200, and it has since been certified Platinum by the RIAA.
The Awards Run
Then came the hardware. The album won Album of the Year at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2023, then took the same title at the 57th Annual CMA Awards that November, on the night Wilson was also named Entertainer of the Year.
Lainey Wilson performs Grease at the 58th ACM Awards, where Bell Bottom Country won Album of the Year.
On February 4, 2024, the album earned Wilson her first Grammy, winning Best Country Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. As Country Now reported, that win placed Bell Bottom Country among a short list of albums to take home the ACM, CMA and Grammy album honors. Accepting the award, Wilson told the room, "This is absolutely wild, y'all," and made a point of honoring her roots back home in Baskin, describing herself as a fifth-generation farmer's daughter.
Still Flaring
Everything that followed, including her 2024 album Whirlwind, grew out of what Wilson built here. Start with the radio hits or go straight to deep cuts like Atta Girl and Those Boots (Deddy's Song). Either way, Bell Bottom Country is a front to back reminder of what happens when a Louisiana artist leans all the way into who she is.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Bell Bottom Country released?
Lainey Wilson released Bell Bottom Country on October 28, 2022, through BBR Music Group.
Who produced Bell Bottom Country?
The album was produced by Jay Joyce and recorded at Neon Cross in Nashville.
What awards did Bell Bottom Country win?
The album won Album of the Year at the 2023 ACM Awards, Album of the Year at the 2023 CMA Awards and Best Country Album at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
What singles came from Bell Bottom Country?
The official singles were Heart Like a Truck, Watermelon Moonshine and Wildflowers and Wild Horses.
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