He’s been on the scene since 2016, but his debut album, søn of dad, has acquired him the most notoriety in his career thus far. The man lurks in the shadows of Nashville’s country music scene, delivering his lyrics with a dismally graceful tone haunting listeners. Stephen Wilson Jr. was born in raised in Southern Indiana and originally moved to Nashville not for music. Rather, he attended MTSU to pursue a degree in Microbiology.
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What came before Wilson’s attendance at MTSU was a colorful life that appears to come out of a novel. Raised by his single father, Wilson started boxing at the age of seven. Subsequently, his boxing career led him to become an Indiana State Golden Gloves finalist. Following his graduation from MTSU, Wilson started and toured with an Indie band and also worked as an R&D scientist at Mars. Though, he finally decided to pivot his focus into songwriting. It was this redirection that created the Wilson Nashville knows to this day.
Grand Ole Opry Debut
On April 5, 2023, Wilson launched himself into major popularity by making his Grand Ole Opry Debut. However, his Nashville presence dates back to 2016 when Wilson signed a publishing deal with BMG Nashville. Three years later, Wilson released his first single “Devil,” and followed it with another, “Year To Be Young 1994.” Despite making moves early on, it was his Opry debut that gave him the notoriety he deserved.
During his debut, Wilson showed the country music world why he was something to be remembered. Reviving a vulnerable masculinity that has seemingly been lost in the genre for quite some time, Wilson gave a performance reminding folks about the impact a man and his guitar can have.
Wilson’s Musical Catalog
Released in September of 2023, søn of dad, is a culmination of new and old Wilson songs. The album itself is a gut-wrenching memoir of Wilson’s life and a nostalgic homage to the ’90s, as well as a dedication to his late father. The album is an indicator of how much of a powerhouse songwriter Wilson is.
In addition to his success with søn of dad, he has received praise for singles, “All the Wars from Now On” and “Mighty Beast.” Wilson has collaborated with Tim McGraw, Old Dominion, Chase Bryant, and Caitlyn Smith. Most recently, he released an acoustic cover of Nirvana’s “Something in the Way.” Not yet a country music giant, Stephen Wilson Jr. holds an enormous amount of talent just waiting to be shared in the next phase of his career.
Photo Credit: Tim Cofield
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