WATCH: HARDY and Lainey Wilson Blow CMA Awards Viewers Away With Chilling ‘Wait In The Truck’ Performance

On Wednesday evening (Nov. 9), HARDY and Lainey Wilson joined forces for a harrowing performance of their chart-climbing single, “Wait In The Truck” during the 56th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Downtown Nashville.

The pair recreated the “Wait In The Truck” music video during their performance, bringing scenes from the chilling clip to life on stage.

CMA Awards viewers were blown away by HARDY and Wilson’s performance. Several fans took to social media to share praise for the artists.

“Oh my…greatest performance I’ve ever seen on the CMAs,” wrote one YouTube user, while another shared, “World-class performance…wowwww….”

Released on Friday, August 26, “Wait In The Truck,” was an instant hit upon its debut. It also became the most-added song at country radio with 57 first-week stations when it went for adds on Monday, August 29.

Co-written by HARDY with Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, and Renee Blair, “Wait In The Truck” tells the story of a woman who has experienced ongoing domestic abuse. The woman is ultimately saved by a stranger who takes matters into his own hands when he confronts the abusive man and shoots him to death.

With her newfound freedom, the woman ultimately feels torn between feeling relieved and guilty over her abuser’s death. 

“I don’t know if he’s an angel / Cause angels don’t do what he did / He was hell-bent to find the man behind / All the whiskey scars I hid / I never thought my day of justice / Would come from a judge under his seat / But I knew right then I’d never get hit again when he said to me / Wait in the truck / Just wait in the truck,” Wilson sings, full of emotion. 

HARDY and Wilson shared a cinematic music video coinciding with the release of the murder ballad. The Justin Clough-directed clip plays out like a movie and follows each line of the song perfectly, bringing the dark storyline to life.

“Wait In The Truck” was produced by Joey Moi and co-produced by HARDY, Derek Wells and Jordan Schmidt. HARDY said it’s one of his favorite songs in his catalog. 

The pair of superstars delivered the live debut of the tune during Dierks Bentley’s Seven Peaks Music Festival on Saturday evening (Sept. 3).

The 56th Annual CMA Awards featured performances from Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell, Cody Johnson, and Carly Pearce.

The show opened with an all-star tribute to the late Loretta Lynn from Underwood, Reba McEntire and Lambert. 

We LOVED that performance by @MirandaLambert! West Coast, there's SO much more still to come on Country Music's Biggest Night! #CMAawards pic.twitter.com/jXzPHI5aLW

— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) November 10, 2022

Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, and Lainey Wilson joined together to honor the 2022 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Alan Jackson. 

Additionally, the show included star-studded collaborations from Kelsea Ballerini, Kelly Clarkson and Carly Pearce, HARDY and Lainey Wilson, Elle King with The Black Keys, Brothers featuring The War and Treaty, Thomas Rhett and Katy Perry, Chris Stapleton with Patty Loveless, Zac Brown Band, Jimmie Allen and Marcus King as well as Ashley McBryde with Pillbox Patti, Brandy Clark, Caylee Hammack and John Osborne.

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Mookie Betts, BRELAND, Jessica Chastain, Jordan Davis, Sarah Drew, Cole Hauser, Tyler Hubbard, Wynonna Judd, Lady A, Rex Linn, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum, Reba McEntire, Ben and Erin Napier, Jeannie Seely, Michael Shannon, and Lainey Wilson were on hand to present during the ceremony.

Co-hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, the 2022 CMA Awards broadcasted live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and aired on ABC (8:00-11:00 PM/ET). 

The CMA Awards will also be available for viewing on Hulu beginning Thursday, Nov. 10. 

The 56th Annual CMA Awards was a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton served as the Executive Producer, Alan Carter as the Director, and Jon Macks as the Head Writer.