The country star uses her touring band to record the follow-up to the Grammy-winning ‘Bell Bottom Country’
It’s a full-court press for Lainey Wilson this week: She shared the news of her branded Nashville bar, dropped the trailer for an upcoming Hulu documentary, and appeared on the cover of Billboard. For the capper, Wilson announced the title and release date for her new album — Whirlwind, the follow-up to the Grammy-winning Bell Bottom Country, arrives Aug. 23.
For Whirlwind, her third studio album for BBR Music Group, Wilson once again worked with producer Jay Joyce. But this time, she enlisted her touring band to play on the album, not studio pros, a decision akin to how Waylon Jennings chose to record in the Seventies.
“I am so excited to finally announce Whirlwind. This album has been a long time coming and I can’t wait for the world to have this body of work in their hands soon,” said Wilson in a statement. “This new chapter of music is the most cathartic and personal piece of art I’ve ever made. I hope this record brings some peace to your whirlwind and wraps its arms around you like it did for me.”
Spanning 14 tracks, Whirlwind will include songs like the previously released “Country’s Cool Again” and a song titled “Hang Tight Honey.” Wilson has already been performing “Country’s Cool Again” on various TV appearances.
Earlier this week, Wilson also announced the opening of her new Nashville bar, Bell Bottoms Up, which will replace the former FGL House (Florida Georgia Line’s honky-tonk) on 3rd Avenue and Broadway. Bell Bottoms Up will feature Cajun food, in a nod to Wilson’s Louisiana roots, and a Western disco aesthetic; it’s expected to open sometime this summer.
On Monday, Rolling Stone premiered the trailer for a new Hulu documentary, Lainey Wilson: Bell Bottom Country, streaming May 29. The special — produced by Robin Roberts’ production unit at ABC News Studios — is set to capture Wilson’s story of getting to Nashville and feeling like a “fish out of water” while pursuing her career in country music.