Stephen Wilson Jr.’s journey from the hollers of southern Indiana to Nashville has taken plenty of unexpected turns. A former Golden Gloves boxing championship finalist, scientist, and indie rock guitarist, Wilson Jr. left his laboratory career in 2016 to pursue songwriting full-time. After signing...
Stephen Wilson Jr.’s journey from the hollers of southern Indiana to Nashville has taken plenty of unexpected turns. A former Golden Gloves boxing championship finalist, scientist, and indie rock guitarist, Wilson Jr. left his laboratory career in 2016 to pursue songwriting full-time. After signing a publishing deal with BMG Nashville, his songs were soon recorded by artists including Tim McGraw, Old Dominion, Caitlyn Smith, Sixpence None the Richer, and Leigh Nash.
In 2023, he released his debut double album søn of dad, a genre-spanning 22-song collection dedicated to his late father. The album was named the No. 1 album of 2023 by Holler and landed on year-end best-of lists from Whiskey Riff, Wide Open Country, and Rolling Stone. In 2025, Wilson Jr. released a deluxe edition of søn of dad featuring a moving interpretation of “Stand By Me” that has been streamed tens of millions of times. He is fresh off a completely sold-out U.S. run of his søn of dad tour and is supporting HARDY on select dates of the Jim Bob Tour, including the final show at Madison Square Garden. The rising star also made his Red Rocks and Newport Folk Festival debuts this year and continues to appear at major festivals across North America.
