Over the weekend, Cody Johnson surprised the crowd at his final concert of the year by inviting Lainey Wilson on stage for an unforgettable duet of the classic country hit “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” The special performance took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas during Johnson’s second consecutive sold-out show.
The collaboration was a hit with the audience as Johnson welcomed Wilson with excitement, proudly shouting, “That’s Lainey Wilson” as they sang together. Their voices, hailing from Texas and Louisiana, blended effortlessly, creating a beautiful rendition of the iconic song, originally recorded by Ed Bruce and famously covered by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
Both artists had been in town for the National Finals Rodeo events, with Johnson competing in the World Series of Team Roping at the 2024 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, while Wilson wrapped up the week with her one-night-only performance in Las Vegas.
Through the years, Johnson and Wilson have become good friends, and recently, Johnson shared that they’ve discussed recording music together. In an interview with Country Now, he mentioned, “Lainey and I have talked about doing something on the next record because I feel like it’s finally time.” He also revealed his idea of recording a classic country song with her, specifically Loretta Lynn’s “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man.”
The Las Vegas concerts marked the end of Johnson’s successful Leather Tour, which saw him perform 30 sold-out shows across the year, including a standout performance at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and his first-ever stadium headlining gig at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Both artists are taking a short break over the holidays before returning to the stage in 2025. Johnson will celebrate the new year with a performance on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, while Wilson will perform at NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE: NASHVILLE’S BIG BASH on CBS. Johnson will kick off his Leather Deluxe Tour on January 17, while Wilson’s first show of the year will be at Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa in Mexico.
@ttbrown9 Cody Johnson with Lainey Wilson in Las Vegas
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