Lainey Wilson Feels Like a 'Little Sister' to ACM EOTY Nominees

Lainey Wilson received her first nomination for ACM Entertainer of the Year at the 2024 ACM Awards, which has left her feeling a little bit like the "little sister" of the group.

While backstage before the awards show, Wilson explained to Taste of Country that so many of the other nominees are people who helped propel her into the category.

"When I look at everybody who is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, I'm like, a lot of these people have helped me," she shares. "A lot of these people have taken me out on the road, have written songs with me, encouraged me, answered the phone and like, gave me guidance and have just wrapped their arm around me.

"To be up there with them, it's really special and it just shows me that like, I gotta make sure that I'm doing that for other people too."

When asked if she felt like she was making them proud, Wilson agreed.

"I do, I think I'm like the little sister and they're like, 'I knew she was gonna do it.'"

Luke Combs Gushes Over Lainey Wilson

As much as Wilson feels like the little sister, her colleagues have a lot of respect for her. Luke Combs was quick to deliver a monologue of adoration about his friend when he stopped by Taste of Country Nights recently.

"She's always just been a writer's writer, an artist's artist," he explains. "She's someone that is impossible to not root for. She's such a great person, and she's always been that."

"She's everything she claims to be, which I think there are so many people that aren't that," he continues. "She's an elite songwriter. That's the thing that I think people may not know, is that she's just an all-around insane talent, and definitely deserves everything that's come her way."

Who Is Nominated for the 2024 ACM Entertainer of the Year?

This year's category for Entertainer of the Year is packed with a whopping seven names. Combs is nominated alongside Wilson, as are Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll and Morgan Wallen.

Related: 2024 ACM Awards Winners: Full List

The 2024 ACM Awards are taking place at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, and streaming live on Prime Video.

20 Lainey Wilson Songs Every Fan Knows by Heart

From small town to the big city, Lainey Wilson has come a long way in her music career. A talented songwriter and an esteemed vocalist, it was only a matter of time before she got her time in the spotlight.

What makes Wilson so captivating is her ability to connect with her fans through her music. She writes songs that are honest and sings them with conviction. Wilson also remains one of the most humble individuals in the game, which only makes her more magnetic.

2024 ACM Awards Nominations Snubs, Ranked

The 2024 ACM Awards nominations are here. Megan Moroney is having a very, VERY good day. A long list of veteran country hitmakers are not.

Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and more find themselves without a real reason to attend the 2024 ACM Awards next month. They don't make this list of snubs and surprises, however — scroll down to find our Top 10, starting with an Entertainer of the Year nominee that had never been up for anything before.

Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes