VERSED: The ASCAP Podcast / Ep. 36 - Lainey Wilson & Jordan Smith Reynolds

September 7, 2023

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VERSED is a monthly podcast illuminating the heart and soul of music. Featuring in-depth interviews with songwriters and composers, plus tips and insights to help you navigate your music career. Brought to you by ASCAP, home of the world's greatest music creators.

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Singer, songwriter, superstar Lainey Wilson left Baskin, Louisiana and moved to Nashville in a camper trailer 12 years ago. She spent her early years building her career, song by song, show by show, before breaking through with her #1 hit “Things a Man Oughta Know” in 2021. Since then, Lainey’s been on a wildly successful ride. Her second #1 song, “Never Say Never” with Cole Swindell in 2022 was followed by the #1 hits “Heart Like a Truck” and her collaboration with HARDY, “Wait in the Truck.”

Her critically-acclaimed 2023 album, Bell Bottom Country, overflowing with amped up, guitar-driven, rockstar energy, continues to gain new fans all over the globe and crank out more modern classics like “Watermelon Sunshine,” “Smell Like Smoke” and “Hold My Halo.” She has been headlining and selling out shows all across the map, while also gracing festival stages at Lollapalooza, Stagecoach and at arenas with the likes of Luke Combs and other leading country stars.

She just made history by nabbing nine 2023 CMA Award nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year, Album of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. She is the only artist to top the nominations list in her first two appearances on the final ballot. This on the heels of winning big at the 2023 Academy of Country Music Awards, receiving, among others, top honors for Album of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. She also received Billboard’s Women in Music “Rulebreaker” Award this year and is the most nominated woman at the People’s Choice Country Awards as well.

Full of heart, soul, grit and gratitude, Lainey shares what has inspired and challenged her, advice for fellow music creators and how she feels about this hard-won moment in her career.

Later in the episode, Jordan Smith Reynolds, the winner of our Green Theme Song Contest powered by Studio Green @ ASCAP, joins to talk about his winning work, and treats us to a live performance.

EP. 36 FEATURED INTERVIEWEE: Lainey Wilson

Multi-award-winning singer-songwriter and actress, Lainey Wilson has earned the enthusiasm in the music industry. As the leading female nominee and winner at the 2023 ACM Awards, with Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of The Year, Visual Media and Musical Event of the Year, the reigning CMA 2022 Female Vocalist and New Artist of the Year has proved to be quite the “artist to watch.”

Beginning her journey to stardom 12 years ago in a camper trailer, after leaving her small-town farming community in Baskin, Louisiana, Wilson has redefined the genre and amplified the country music scene as we know it. Blending the traditional country sound with a modern retro flare, Wilson’s signature Bell Bottom Country style has led her to being crowned the most nominated artist at the 2023 CMT Music Awards and bestowed the Billboard Women in Music’s “Rulebreaker” award.

A prolific and sought-after songwriter to her core (having co-writer credits on songs by artists including Luke Combs, Flatland Calvary, Ashley McBryde and more), Wilson is a fresh, fierce voice in Nashville, delivering CMA-nominated album of the year with her label debut, Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’. She landed her first #1 radio hit with PLATINUM-certified ACM Song of the Year, “Things a Man Oughta Know.”

After topping the country radio charts, Wilson scored her second #1 hit, “Never Say Never” with Cole Swindell, and recently achieved her third and fourth #1 songs with “Heart Like a Truck” and her HARDY collaboration “wait in the truck.” Her current radio single “Watermelon Moonshine” just cracked the top 10, making it her fifth song to do so, while becoming the fastest solo female song to reach the top 10 since 2018. Wilson’s sophomore and critically-acclaimed album, Bell Bottom Country, reached #15 on Billboard’s Top Albums Chart and #9 on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart after quickly rising to #1 on the iTunes charts, amassing over 500 million streams to date.

Making her acting debut in season 5 of Paramount’s revered hit series Yellowstone, Wilson played a musician character named Abby, where she premiered her original song “Smell Like Smoke” as well as showcasing other hits off her recent album including “Watermelon Moonshine” and “Hold My Halo.”

With a rockstar stage presence, Wilson’s artistry has taken her across the globe, performing in front of sold-out crowds throughout the US, UK and Germany. Captivating audiences around the world, 2023 has supported her spectacular rise to stardom with sold-out shows across the board drawing in the masses with career milestone sets during highly coveted music festivals Stagecoach, Lollapalooza and Watershed. Her “Rulebreaker” year also kicked off her first-ever sold-out headlining tour, lent support for Luke Combs on his stadium tour, and brought Wilson her first ever sold-out headlining arena performance. Later this fall, she will join HARDY on “the mockingbird and THE CROW” tour.

EP. 36 SPECIAL GUEST: JORDAN SMITH REYNOLDS

Jordan Smith Reynolds is a classically trained vocalist turned singer-songwriter. Jordan’s songs are immersive and inviting, like impressionist landscapes in song form. Jordan’s EP The Deepest of Blues received 200k+ streams on Spotify in its first year, and was featured on a Spotify editorial playlist. He was a finalist in both the 2020 John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the 2022 International Songwriting Competition, and was selected as a participant in the 2021 Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project. In 2023, Jordan won the Green Theme Song Contest, powered by Studio Green @ ASCAP, for his song "whatever you plant will grow." Jordan’s music is influenced by artists including Sufjan Stevens, Phoebe Bridgers and Bon Iver. Jordan also hosts The Song Saloon, a podcast featuring live performances and interviews with singer-songwriters.