Don’t let him go! Lainey Wilson‘s boyfriend is more than just her lover, he’s her inspiration—just don’t go expecting some mushy love songs. The country singer revealed that he became her muse after debuting their relationship in 2023.
Originally from the small town of Baskinville, Louisiana, Lainey Wilson exploded in popularity after her song appeared on Yellowstone in 2019. She’s won seven Country Music Association Awards, a Grammy Award, and seven Country Music Association Awards, including the top honor of Entertainer of the Year in 2023.
Wilson has been extremely private about her relationships, but her heart opened up on the 2023 ACM’s red carpet. She hinted at it saying, “I am in love… I’m excited to share this side of my life. That’s weird for me, that I’m able to write those kinds of songs. I will say, I don’t think I will ever be the kind of love songwriter that’s going to be mushy, gushy, like pour my heart out to ya.”
She also talked about how his support helps her career, “I think it’s going to be more of the ‘I’m a strong woman and I gotta man who’s OK with it kind of thing. He knows what it’s like to start from the ground up. He knows what it’s like to have a dream at a very young age… we understand each other.
Who is Lainey Wilson’s Boyfriend?
Lainey Wilson‘s boyfriend is Devlin “Duck” Hodges. The two started dating in 2021 but maintained their privacy until their ACM red carpet debut in 2023. Hodges is a real estate agent and a retired NFL player who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ottawa Redblacks.
She kept their relationship private for a long time, explaining on the Taste of Country Nights, On Demand radio show why. “It’s really cool to be able to start sharing that side of my life,” she said. “Cause for a long time, I kept him on the [down low]. I wanted to see if he was actually gonna be around to stay. You know what I’m saying? But he ain’t going nowhere. I ain’t got rid of him yet,” she joked.
In an interview with Billboard speaking about her 2024 album, Whirlwind, she explained, “I don’t think I’ll ever be that love songwriter that’s super mushy gushy at all. It’s going to always probably be a love song that’s like, ‘I love you, but I can still do my thing.’”
The “Heart Like A Truck” singer recalled the couple’s first date to People. “We went to this old place called Silverados, and it had free beer and wine from 5 to 10 p.m.,” she told the outlet. “I was like, ‘This boy likes to ball on a budget too. This is gonna work out.’”
She gushed about how her boyfriend is supportive of her no matter what. “Duck is the kind of dude who high-fives me on the way in the door and on the way out and says, ‘Go get it,’” she says. “He knows how important this dream is to me.” She also described Hodges as “one of my biggest cheerleaders and champions.”
“WWDD” or “What Would Dolly Do?” isn’t just the name of her hit song. Wilson also revealed that country legend Dolly Parton inspired her to keep their relationship under wraps from the media. “When it comes to mine and Duck’s relationship, there’s going to be some things that we can’t escape and people are going to say and do whatever, but me and him are on the same page about the less we put out there, the less that we’re going to have to deal with people making anything up and saying anything,” she told Billboard. “We want to keep that as sacred as we possibly can between me and him, and so far, it has worked for us.”
Hodges also inspired some aspects of Wilson’s career. “I was never really able to write love songs, because I don’t know if I had actually felt it, but I’m writing me some love songs now,” she says. “I’m grateful for him.”
