Deana Carter isn’t at all surprised by Lainey Wilson‘s success. Carter has been a fan of Wilson since long before she became a household name. With Wilson’s “Watermelon Moonshine” a likely nod to Carter’s “Strawberry Wine,” no one is prouder of Wilson and her success than Carter.

“She’s from a little town right next to where my parents and all my people are from,” Carter tells Everything Nash. “And so, my cousin and her dad are buddies. The families have known each other. And Lainey being very young and aspiring to do music, we knew about her early, and she’s just shown so much promise for so many years. I’m not surprised that she is just knocking it out of the park. She’s the real deal. She comes from good people.”

In 2023, Wilson joined Carter for a mashup of their two hit songs. “Strawberry Wine,” Carter’s first No. 1 hit, is from her freshman Did I Shave My Legs for This? album. The record, released in 1995, also included “We Danced Anyway,” “Count Me In,” “How Do I Get There,” the title track and more. But it was “Strawberry Wine,” released in 1996, which became Carter’s signature hit, and one that fans still enjoy,

@laineywilson #duet with @DeanaCarterOfficial #songswap #watermelonmoonshine #songofthesummer ♬ original sound – DeanaCarterOfficial

“We had worked on that record for four or five years, trying to get it ready,” Carter recalls. “It had gone through a lot of renditions and songs and things. My co-producers changed a few times, and about the time we had it done, we were just so happy to have it finished and have it out there. It was such a team effort by everybody at Capitol and the community, the publishers. It was a real community record at the end of the day.”

It’s astonishing to Carter that it’s been 30 years since her debut album was released.

“We all stay kids inside, so I think that’s why time goes faster, ’cause we stay the same inside,” she reflects. “Little growth spurts here and there. But being a kid at heart is the key. That’s what keeps everyone feeling so retro and current at the same time.”

Carter performed recently on the Country Music Cruise, part of a whirlwind year for her that also includes two major tours, both with Blake Shelton on his Friends and Heroes Tour, and Rock the Country with Kid Rock, Nickelback, Hank Williams, Jr. and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

“I’m so honored to kick off the spring with Blake, and then we have solo shows,” Carter says. “We’re doing a lot of festivals and things, and Rock the Country is going to be part of that for the rest of the year.”

Find all of Carter’s music and upcoming shows at Deana.com.