Lainey Wilson’s June 4 release, “Phone, Keys, Wallet,” is a dreamy, guitar-filled melodic journey. Upon my first listen of this new single, something sounded very familiar a guitar tone and style that I’d heard and fallen in love with long ago. That of the one and only John Mayer.
This track features John Mayer not as a vocalist, but as an instrumentalist and producer. The song was recorded at Chaplin Studios in Los Angeles, California. A studio now owned by Mayer, it also has an incredible history. It was once owned by Charlie Chaplin (1917–1953) and was later renamed Henson Studios during the Muppets era. A wild backstory for a new Lainey Wilson country tune!
Mayer interviewed Lainey on April 21, 2026, on his SiriusXM show, “How’s Life with John Mayer.” During the conversation, they covered everything from touring and songwriting to life on the road. The interview showcased a new friendship between two of music’s biggest stars. While they come from different ends of the musical spectrum, they found common ground on many topics.
Mayer stated in the interview that his “hot take” on country music is that when a song reminds people of drinking and partying, it automatically brings them back to a good feeling. He explained that mentioning alcohol in a country song can feel a little like a shortcut “a little bit of a cheat.” Lainey didn’t disagree, but she did defend country music’s legacy by saying that it has always been the genre’s tradition to set a scene and paint vivid pictures in the listener’s mind.
John Mayer is undoubtedly one of the best songwriters of our time. His comments weren’t meant to criticize country music, but simply to offer his perspective. In the same interview, he praised artists such as HARDY and Lainey herself. His point was that it’s difficult to make listeners care about something entirely new, rather than relying on familiar themes. Makes sense to me.
So how did this collaboration come to life?
The song was written by Lainey Wilson, Kid Harpoon, Jon Decious, Dan Pellarin, Dallas Wilson, Trannie Anderson, and Summer Overstreet. Jon Decious stated on Instagram, “Oh man, wouldn’t it be cool if John Mayer hopped on this? Yeah right, that’s crazy!” which later turned into, “Hawt damn, John Mayer just hopped on this!” Maybe it wasn’t so crazy after all.
Lainey and John chatted again on Instagram Live on release day and shared some really cool details about how everything unfolded. Lainey said that immediately after writing the song, she knew the solo section of “Phone, Keys, Wallet” needed to sound like a conversation, something Mayer is famous for doing. John said he immediately fell in love with the song when he heard it. He praised both the storyline and the chord progression, an unbelievable compliment coming from a musical giant like Mayer.
They also discussed how Lainey’s vocals and Mayer’s guitar work gave the tune a gospel-like feeling. Lainey mentioned during the conversation that they need to find an opportunity to perform the song live together in the near future. Can you imagine? I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for that.
Mayer went on to explain that he still finds himself playing guitar along with the track at home simply because he loves the song. The two also joked about Mayer initially being confused about who “Jesus Jones” was. The lyric sings:
“I’d be out of luck if I ever up and lose, yeah Jesus Jones, Mama, my phone, keys, wallet, and you.”
John said the song follows the main rules of great songwriting: “Be singable. Have fun. Communicate the spirit. And don’t overthink it.” Lainey did exactly that with this one.
It’s a collaboration that I absolutely love. Personally, John Mayer is one of my all-time favorite artists, and as a country music artist myself, this crossover felt like a dream. I hope Mayer continues to lean into more country songs and collaborations. As for Lainey, we already know she’ll continue putting out incredible songs and delivering memorable performances.
Y’all keep track of your phone, keys, and wallet now, ya hear?