{{Short description|American musician (born 1979)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2026}} {{Infobox musical artist | background = person | name = Stephen Wilson Jr. | image = SWJr 15MAR25.jpg | image_upright = | image_size = | landscape = yes | alt = Stephen Wilson Jr. playing an acoustic guitar onstage and singing into a microphone, with keyboardist in background | caption = Wilson Jr. performing in 2025 | birth_name = <!-- leave empty if the same "name" --> | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|07|11}} | birth_place = Seymour, Indiana, US | origin = | genre = {{hlist|Rock|country}} | occupation = Musician | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar}} | years_active = 2017–present | label = {{hlist|BMG|Big Loud}} | current_member_of = | past_member_of = AutoVaughn | spouse = Leigh Nash | partner = <!-- (unmarried long-term partner) --> | website = {{URL|stephenwilsonjr.com}} }}
'''Stephen Wilson Jr.''' (born July 11, 1979) is an American country and rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Stephen Wilson Jr.'s Version of 'Stand by Me' Is the Cover You Need to Hear |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/stephen-wilson-jr-stand-by-me-cover-1235178112/ |last=Hudak |first=Joseph |date=November 22, 2024 |magazine=Rolling Stone |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
==Early and personal life== Born on July 11, 1979, Wilson was raised in Seymour, Indiana.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Makin' Tracks: Give 'Em Hill, 'Billy': Stephen Wilson Jr.'s Edgy Celebration of His Back-Roads Roots |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/country/stephen-wilson-billy-makin-tracks-1235167809/ |last=Roland |first=Tom |date=November 8, 2022 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> Introverted as a youth, Wilson and his brother were guided by their father into competitive boxing.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stephen Wilson Jr. Is in the Fight |url=https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/featured/stephen-wilson-jr-is-in-the-fight/ |last=Rehagen |first=Tony |date=April 22, 2024 |website=Indianapolis Monthly}}</ref> This experience, culminating in Golden Gloves amateur boxing competitions, helped him conquer stage fright.<ref name="holler">{{Cite web |title=Stephen Wilson Jr: The Moments That Made Me |url=https://holler.country/feature/stephen-wilson-jr-the-moments-that-made-me/ |last=Reyes-Kulkarni|first=Saby|date=September 13, 2023 |website=Holler}}</ref> Wilson recalls how country singer Tim McGraw's song "Don't Take the Girl" profoundly impacted him as a teenager. Raised poor by a single dad, and with an absent mother who suffered through abusive relationships, the song's storytelling sparked in him a passion for lyrics and poetry, leading him to begin writing his own songs.<ref name="holler" /> Wilson is married to singer Leigh Nash.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leigh Nash and Husband Stephen Wilson Jr. Work Out Differences on "Made for This" |url=https://americansongwriter.com/leah-nash-and-husband-stephen-wilson-jr-work-out-differences-on-made-for-this/ |website=americansongwriter.com |date=June 25, 2021 |access-date=January 30, 2026}}</ref>
Wilson's father died in September 2018.<ref name="holler" />
==Career== After leaving his first band{{when|date=September 2025}}, AutoVaughn, Wilson settled into a stable job in the research and development department of Mars' food-science lab.<ref name="holler" /> There, he thrived professionally, got married, and moved to the countryside to raise his stepson, while continuing to write songs.<ref name="holler" /> After three years, he left Mars to become a full-time musician, taking a job with Big Loud as a staff songwriter in 2016.<ref name="holler" />
Wilson signed with BMG{{when|date=September 2025}}, and his first release was the 2021 single "Made for This", a duet with his wife, Leigh Nash. In 2022, he issued another single, titled "Year to Be Young 1994 (Unplugged)". Wilson co-wrote the 2023 single "CRZY" by Dallas Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liveinlimbo.com/2023/10/03/news/dallas-smith-reveals-two-new-songs-ahead-of-album-release.html|title=Dallas Smith Reveals Two New Songs Ahead of Album Release|work=Live in Limbo|date=October 3, 2023|access-date=October 8, 2023}}</ref> In 2023, he published his debut album, the EP ''bon aqua''. He followed it in 2023 with the album ''Son of Dad'', which was inspired by the death of his father.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Stephen Wilson Jr. Blows Up Father's Day Platitudes with Startling 'Grief Is Only Love' Video |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/stephen-wilson-jr-grief-is-only-love-video-fathers-day-1235039458/ |last=Hudak |first=Joseph |date=June 13, 2024 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> In 2025, this was re-issued as a deluxe version that included additional acoustic and live tracks. Later in 2025, Wilson released the covers EP ''Blankets'', which includes songs by Nirvana, Temple of the Dog, the Postal Service, and the Smashing Pumpkins.
"Gary" was released on January 26, 2026, as Wilson's first single to country radio, via Big Loud.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.countryaircheck.com/public/adc3486b-db12-426e-a6013b54ab5cc258/Issue-995-January-20-2026.pdf|title=Country Aircheck Weekly January 20, 2026, Issue 995|date=January 20, 2026|website=Country Aircheck|accessdate=May 31, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/stephen-wilson-jr-shares-bts-footage-from-gary-music-video-shoot-exclusive-11940361|title=Stephen Wilson Jr. Shares 'Vivid' Behind-the-Scenes Footage from 'Gary' Video Shoot Featuring Gary Sinise (Exclusive)|date=April 1, 2026|magazine=People|accessdate=June 1, 2026}}</ref> It reached the top 40 on the ''Billboard'' Country Airplay chart.<ref name="Country Airplay" />
==Musical style and influences== Wilson's music is a blend of country and rock, and he has described it as "Death Cab for Country", a reference to the indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stephen Wilson Jr. Compiles His Singles on 'bon aqua' |url=https://www.popmatters.com/stephen-wilson-jr-bon-aqua |last=Horowitz |first=Steve |date=March 28, 2023 |website=PopMatters}}</ref> As a child, he had a passion for country musician Willie Nelson, and he considers the grunge band Nirvana to be among his chief musical influences. In 2025, he covered their song "Something in the Way" on his EP ''Blankets''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Stephen Wilson Jr. Drops a Slashing Cover of Nirvana's 'Something in the Way' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/stephen-wilson-jr-nirvana-cover-something-in-the-way-1235058175/ |last=Hudak |first=Joseph |date=July 11, 2024 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> Wilson credits Soundgarden's Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell for helping him learn the guitar, particularly through their tunings.<ref name="holler" />
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''Son of Dad'' (2023)
===EPs=== * ''Bon Aqua'' (2023) * ''Blankets'' (2025)
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ {{sro|List of charted singles, with selected positions}} ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%" | US<br />Country<br />Airplay<br /><ref name="Country Airplay">Peaks on the Country Airplay chart: * "Gary": {{cite magazine|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/bulletins.billboard.com/country/country_update_2026_0424.pdf|title=Billboard Country Update: April 24, 2026|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 31, 2026}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | "Gary" | 2026 | 33 | {{TBA}} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|stephenwilsonjr.com}} * {{Discogs artist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Stephen Jr.}} Category:Living people Category:American country guitarists Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American rock guitarists Category:American rock songwriters Category:American rock singers Category:1979 births