Lainey Wilson Discusses Friendship With Dolly Parton

Grammy winner Lainey Wilson discussed her relationship with country icon Dolly Parton during a radio appearance in Sydney, Australia.

“It’s insane. She has become a dear friend, which is also weird for me to say.”

She praised Parton’s business acumen.

“The way that she has continued to pave a path, she’s an incredible human businesswoman. She’s just got it going on.”

Wilson performed at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday night, calling it “probably one of the loudest shows that I’ve ever seen.” The crowd response was so intense that Wilson said it took her until 2 a.m. to decompress after the show.

She described her concert experience as an “energy exchange” between performer and audience.

Meanwhile, Lainey brought six-year-old cancer patient Tessa on stage during her Whirlwind World Tour stop at Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Australia, naming the young fan her “Cowgirl of the Night.”

Tessa was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma in November 2023 and she relapsed in 2025.

Australian specialists told her family that no curative options remain in the country after years of chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries, and immunotherapy.

Her mother Renee Perry is raising funds to continue Tessa’s treatment in the United States.

As of February 16, Tessa’s GoFundMe campaign has raised over $315,000 toward its $750,000 goal

Categorised in: Country Music News

This post was written by Cheryl Johnstone