Country fans are just getting acquainted with Lainey Wilson, as her debut single, “Things a Man Oughta Know,” makes a place for itself in radio’s top ten.  

What you may not realize, however, is that the Baskin, Louisiana native is already fast friends with some big names in country music, particularly Luke Combs and Ashley McBryde. 

“[She] is one of my best friends, and I knew it immediately when we hung out,” Lainey explains. “I was like, ‘She’s my people! She’s my people!’ because she gets it.”

“You know, she’s put in the work,” Lainey continues. “She’s rolled her sleeves up and she has not taken no for an answer. I just admire her and her work ethic so much.”

Lainey’s walked such a similar path, in fact, that Ashley made it her business to help her however she could.

“I always tell this story, because I feel like this really draws a good picture of how genuine and kind Ashley really is,” Lainey tells ABC Audio. “But we were somewhere, I believe, in Texas on the road together. And she said, ‘Lainey, I want to grab your hand. I wanna help you over this wall. I wanna do anything I can to help you,’ she said.”

“‘But you gotta promise me,'” Lainey goes on, continuing the story, “‘that when you find somebody who you love and believe in as much as I do you, that you do the same exact thing for them.'”

“And I was like, that’s what it’s about right there,” Lainey reflects. “That’s what it’s about. And it’s very rare that you find somebody just as kind as they are talented. And Ashley McBryde is that.”   

“Things a Man Oughta Know” is the lead single from Lainey’s debut, Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’.

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