The Great Jones County Fair in Monticello, IA always brings thousands out to experience the fun of a county fair, coupled with the many rides and A-list acts perform on the grandstands. This was my first year attending, but even I could tell the atmosphere on Thursday, July 18th felt bigger.

That's what happens when one of the most popular stars in country music comes to perform. Lainey Wilson, who has etched herself into the pantheon of one of the biggest country artists today, took to the grandstands stage to perform in front of a crowd that had to boast an upwards of 15,000 people (maybe more).

Photo Credit: Steve Pulaski
Photo Credit: Steve Pulaski
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You could tell almost immediately who was at the fair to see Lainey Wilson. Whether they were donning shirts featuring the country star's likeness or lyrics, or they were rocking bell bottom pants — one of her trademarks — people packed the ordinarily quiet town of Monticello in order to bear witness to one of the pillar shows of the summer.

Before Wilson took the stage, Jackson Dean performed for the roaring crowd. Dean is one of the most promising young voices in country music by his estimation. His debut album, Greenbroke, was one of my favorite albums in 2022, and it asserted Dean has a pointed storyteller with a gravelly drawl and an ear for songwriting detail. Dean's song "Don't Come Lookin'" became a hit on country radio, and that song served as the encore for his performance on Thursday night.

Jackson Dean performing at the Great Jones County Fair. Photo Credit: Steve Pulaski
Jackson Dean performing at the Great Jones County Fair. Photo Credit: Steve Pulaski
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I think my favorite song Dean performed was "Heavens to Betsy," a song he first performed at the Ryman Auditorium in 2023. The song is a beautiful ballad told from the perspective of a father looking down on his daughter from "the outskirts of Heaven," Dean, who is shockingly only 23-years-old, told the crowd during a brief preamble. It's the perfect encapsulation not only of Dean's vocal talent but his songwriting prowess.

Before long, the sky grew dark, the stage-lights went up, and a bright red Chevy pickup truck appeared on the grandstands stage. The truck revved as Barbara Mandrell's tremendous song "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" (from which Wilson presumably got her tour name, "Country's Cool Again") played over the crackling radio. That was all the cue the crowd needed to start cheering.

Lainey Wilson performing at the Great Jones County Fair. Photo Credit: Steve Pulaski
Lainey Wilson performing at the Great Jones County Fair. Photo Credit: Steve Pulaski
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Lainey Wilson emerged from the truck and treated fans to a versatile, enthusiastic performance that ran for about 90 minutes. From the jump, Wilson was clearly energized by the adoring crowd. She danced, shimmied, jumped, spun, and galloped all over the stage. She launched into "Hang Tight Honey," her current hit, to start the show and set the tone for the night.

Wilson's thick Louisiana accent is part of what makes her music so intensely enjoyable. Like all great singers, her voice and personality take on a different dimension in person. She played songs from her previous album, Bell Bottom Country, and her upcoming record, Whirlwind. Among the highlights was a song called "Dirty Looks," a classic bait-and-switch that has you assuming it's about the singer being an unwelcomed presence until Wilson catches you off guard with the end of the chorus.

Photo Credit: Steve Pulaski
Photo Credit: Steve Pulaski
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"Let's go for a ride, Iowa!," Wilson shouted to the crowd, her Louisiana drawl enunciating the Hawkeye State "I-WAH."

At multiple points during the show, Wilson climbed atop the truck to sing and dance. For her performance of "Heart Like a Truck," she got behind the wheel of the pickup. Multiple cameras from inside the cabin broadcasted her performance on several big screens around the grandstands. It was a strangely intimate way to perform arguably her biggest song for a crowd of thousands.

"Watermelon Moonshine" had everyone singing, as did "Things a Man Oughta Know," her breakout single. Equally important to her performance of several recognizable songs were the stories she told in between. One of the most funny yet poignant was when Wilson recalled her days of being a Hannah Montana impersonator for birthday parties and other kid functions. She said that she'd try and negotiate with parents to have "Lainey" open for "Hannah." Most didn't go for it.

Photo Credit: Steve Pulaski
Photo Credit: Steve Pulaski
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Now, people are paying to see her perform. You get the vibe that she's been practicing and waiting for moments like these, unsure if they'd ever come. Her down-to-Earth personality and friendly demeanor make her as great as even her best songs.

On top of her hits, she launched into a medley of classic country songs, including "Hey Good Lookin'" and "You Ain't Woman Enough," and concluded the show by singing snippets of songs of which she's a part, like Jelly Roll's "Save Me" and the eminently popular "Wait in the Truck" alongside HARDY.

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If you have the opportunity to see Lainey Wilson in the future, trust me when I say: buy the tickets. You won't regret it.

Photos: Vintage Torque Fest 2023

Photos: Vintage Torque Fest 2023

Gallery Credit: Tom Ehlers

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