Lainey Wilson Reveals to Garth Brooks Her Unexpected Connection to Country Legend Tim McGraw

Lainey Wilson may be the hottest thing in country music right now, but she’s still that farmer’s daughter from Baskin, Louisiana (pop. 250.) Surprisingly, the “Hang Tight Honey” singer’s small-town roots bind her to another Nashville hitmaker. Eleven-time CMA Award winner Tim McGraw grew up just 20 minutes down the road from Wilson’s hometown, in Start, Louisiana (pop. 982.) Wilson recently revealed the unexpected link between herself and the “Live Like You Were Dyin'” singer.

Lainey Wilson Has Never Met Tim McGraw

Recently, Wilson sat down with country icon Garth Brooks for an edition of the “Friends in Low Places” singer’s radio station, Tailgate Radio. Their conversation ranged from Dolly Parton to Keith Whitley to Wilson’s fellow Bayou State native.

“Tim grew up right down the road from me,” said country music’s reigning Entertainer of the Year. “My step-grandmother used to actually babysit him. But I’ve never met Tim.”

Lainey On Meeting Her Heroes

Eventually, the conversation turned to ’90s country and Wilson’s industry heroes. The “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” singer took the time to gush about Dolly Parton, as she often does.

“Of course, I love my Dolly Parton,” she said. “She’s one of the people that I go to that I’m like man, how has she — she’s done it all. She’s kept songwriting the main focus, but she has not been scared to step outside the box and try new things.”

[RELATED: Lainey Wilson Brings Out Wynonna Judd for Superb Tom Petty Cover To Kick off Her Country’s Cool Again Tour in Nashville]

Wilson then confessed to Brooks that one of her childhood heroes was actually in the room with her. “I’m not saying it just ’cause you’re sitting here, but, I mean, you too,” she said. “The way that you have, first of all, stayed true to yourself and you treat everybody with kindness. That right there, I think, goes the furthest.”

The “Yellowstone” star added, “It’s one of those things, you know everybody goes, you don’t want to meet your heroes,” she said. “Everybody told me, they said meeting you would be a little different.”

Featured image by JC Olivera/WireImage