With her "Whirlwind" life, Wilson makes "Country Cool Again"

Lainey Wilson is riding quite high these days. No wonder her latest release is called "Whirlwind." After trying to make a go of it in Nashville for nearly a decade, Wilson's career has been soaring especially the last three years.

Now, she's winning awards, scoring hit singles and playing enervating shows – at least after 110 minutes - like this.

It was easy to see why Wilson might be drained after a show along with the audience. She was one whirling dervish from start to finish, twirling, dancing, seemingly always in motion (well, except for when she stood alone on a column that rose from the floor and seated during an acoustic segment).

It wasn't all about the activity though.

Wilson is one distinctive singer. When you hear her sing with her Louisiana drawl, (she also is in demand, singing on a lot of songs of other artists) you know it's her. Wilson has a sweet voice fortunately mixed high from start to finish. She could turn it up and bring it back down within a few words for greater intensity. It's a powerful voice with her ballad hit "Somewhere Over Laredo" one of the vocal high points.

The highlight of the night may well have been a four-song acoustic stint on the catwalk, which mixed it up in more ways than one. She started with what she said was her favorite song from "Whirlwind," "Whiskey Colored Crayon," played solo acoustic while seated on a beach on the catwalk. Like many of Wilson's song, it's a story song about a kindergartener who can't draw a picture of his father without a whiskey colored crayon because he was an alcoholic.

In a sign that Wilson cares about who plays with her, Muscadine Bloodline, the Alabama duo that preceded Wilson, came out to perform the tender "Pieces," which the three of them wrote together. (opener Lauren Watkins appeared early on in the third song of the night, "Good Horses," assuming the role of Miranda Lambert. She was a worthy sub.). On backing harmonies, Wilson wasn't the star here either, but blended in just right.

Wilson then brought out her own band for a pick and grin surrounding one mic to do "Counting Chickens," a fun song about falling in love and looking ahead (presumably to her fiancé). The song featured washboard, mandolin, lap steel and upright bass, a big change from being on the big stage.

Evident of Wilson's self-confidence, she offered a different take on her first hit, "Things A Man Oughta Know," with a sparer version. Done acoustically, Wilson wasn't afraid to tinker and take risks. It all worked.

Wilson also gave her backing band some rope as well. Never more so than on the elongated "Hillbilly Hippie," which turned into one of the evening's highlights, where guitarist Kenny Nolan went on for many minutes in a taught, scorching display of his skills.

While sometimes mining the modern, leaning towards pop side of country, Wilson also employed lots of fiddle and more from Sav Madigan (her backing vocals helped flesh out the songs). She also played snippets of Vince Gills' "One More Last Chance," Dwight Yoakam's "Guitars, Cadillacs" and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Fishin' in the Dark" to underscore her country roots.

This was a show that pretty much never flagged. Wilson may have saved her big hits "4x4xU" and "Heart Like a Truck" for the end (there was no encore), but there was a lot to like in between the opening "Whirlwind" and "Heart Like a Truck."

Wilson was born on "humble ground" as she sang, but with folks and performances like this, "Country's Cool Again."

Muscadine Bloodline has been around a while – since 2016 – but they are hitting their stride these days. Last year, they played Fenway Park, opening for Post Malone. Opening for Wilson suited them better, given the more intimate setting. It also was no surprise that Muscadine Bloodline was feeling good because they just released a surprise vinyl record the day before.

The duo of Charlie Muncaster and Gary Stanton are known for their harmonies and vocal interplay, and that was one of the highlights here. Muncaster assumed more of the lead vocals with Stanton taking typically providing ample back up. While at Fenway, they tended to rock more, here their show was more of a welcome potpourri with songs like "Rattlesnake Ridge," "Devil Died in Dixie," and perhaps their biggest song, "Porch Song Angel."

One of the best songs they played during their 45-minute was the gentle mid-tempo new song "My Meridien," a love song about Stanton's wife, who's from Meridien, Miss. Their harmonies made the song.

With a musically diverse outing, Muscadine Bloodline's set left you wanting to hear the band on their own.