Grammys: Why Lainey Wilson's 'Bell Bottom Country' Album Wasn't Nominated
Country music's representation at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards will be very limited. Lainey Wilson, who had an incredible year thanks to her second album, Bell Bottom Country, will not be there as a nominee. The album itself was released outside the eligibility window, but her hits "Heart Like a Truck" and "Wait in the Truck" were not. Neither single made the final nominations cut.
The eligibility window for the 2023 Grammys ran from Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30, 2022. Unfortunately for Wilson, Bell Bottom Country was released about a month too late on Oct. 28 and will not be eligible for the Grammys until next year. "Heart Like a Truck" could have been in the running for Best Country Solo Performance or Best Country Song. "Wait in the Truck," a collaboration with Michael Wilson Hardy (known as HARDY), could have been considered for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
This year's nominees for Best Country Solo Performance were "Heartfirst" (Kelsea Ballerini); "Something in the Orange" (Zac Bryan); "In His Arms" (Miranda Lambert); "Circles Around This Town" (Marren Morris); and "Live Forever" (Willie Nelson). The nominees for Best Country Song are "Circles Around This Yown" (Morris); "Doin' This" (Combs); "I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)" (Taylor Swift and Chris Stapleton); "If I Was a Cowboy" (Lambert); "I'll Love You Till The Day I Die" (Nelson); and "'Till You Can't" (Cody Johnson). The Best Country Duo/Group Performance nominees are "Wishful Drinking" (Ingrid Andress & Sam Hunt); "Midnight Rider's Prayer" (Brothers Osborne); "Outrunnin' Your Memory" (Combs & Lambert); "Does He Love You (Revisited)" (Reba McEntire & Dolly Parton); "Never Wanted to Be That Girl" (Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde); and "Going Where The Lonely Go" (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss).
The performance lineup also includes little space for country music. Kacey Musgraves will take the stage to perform "Coal Miner's Daughter" in a tribute to Loretta Lynn. Luke Combs and Brandi Carlile also have performances lined up. Shania Twain will be in attendance as a presenter during the main ceremony.
Although Wilson isn't getting any awards love this month, she has received plenty of love from her fans. In January, she became the first female country artist to have two songs on the Top 10 country radio chart with "Heart Like a Truck" and "Wait in a Truck," notes CMT. She also won New Artist and Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2022 Country Music Association Awards. Wilson has a major role as Abby on Paramount Network's Yellowstone.
"Heart Like a Truck" is "a song about finding freedom and strength," Wilson recently told ABC Audio. " You know, I did write this song for anybody and everybody who's been through heartbreak, hard times, hard luck. You name it, we've all been there." Wilson, who co-wrote the song with Trannie Anderson and Dallas Wilson, added, "It's a little bit about where you've been... But more importantly about where you're going, and where you're headed. So I want people to, you know, feel a little triumph in this song."
The 65th Annual Grammy Awards begins on CBS at 8 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The show will also stream live on Paramount+. Comedian Trevor Noah is back as host. Beyonce is the most-nominated artist with nine.