Stephen Wilson Jr.

Last updated

Stephen Wilson Jr.
Born (1979-07-11) July 11, 1979 (age 46)
Seymour, Indiana, US
Genres
OccupationMusician
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2017–present
Labels
Formerly ofAutoVaughn
Website stephenwilsonjr.com

Stephen Wilson Jr. (born July 11, 1979) is an American country and rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. [1]

Contents

Early and personal life

Born on July 11, 1979, Wilson was raised in Seymour, Indiana. [2] He was a shy introvert, unlike his outgoing boxer father and brother, but he also competed in boxing as a youth. [3] This experience, culminating in Golden Gloves amateur boxing competitions, helped him conquer stage fright. [4] Wilson recalls how country singer Tim McGraw's song "Don't Take the Girl" profoundly impacted him as a child. 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. [4]

Wilson's father died in September 2018. [4]

Career

After leaving his first band[ when? ], AutoVaughn, Wilson settled into a stable job in the research and development department of Mars' food-science lab. [4] There, he thrived professionally, got married, and moved to the countryside to raise his stepson, while continuing to write songs. [4] After three years, he left Mars to become a full-time musician, taking a job with Big Loud as a staff songwriter in 2016. [4]

Wilson signed with BMG [ when? ], and his first release was the 2021 single "Made for This", a duet with Leigh Nash. In 2022, he issued another single, titled "Year to Be Young 1994 (Unplugged)". In 2023, he published his debut album, the EP bon aqua. He followed it in 2025 with the double album søn of dad, which was inspired by the death of his father. [5] Later that year, he issued the covers EP Blankets, which includes songs by Nirvana, Temple of the Dog, the Postal Service, and the Smashing Pumpkins.

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. [6] 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. [7] Wilson credits Soundgarden's Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell for helping him learn the guitar, particularly through their tunings. [4]

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

References

  1. ↑ Hudak, Joseph (November 22, 2024). "Stephen Wilson Jr.'s Version of 'Stand by Me' Is the Cover You Need to Hear" . Rolling Stone .
  2. ↑ Roland, Tom (November 8, 2022). "Makin' Tracks: Give 'Em Hill, 'Billy': Stephen Wilson Jr.'s Edgy Celebration of His Back-Roads Roots". Billboard.
  3. ↑ Rehagen, Tony (April 22, 2024). "Stephen Wilson Jr. Is in the Fight". Indianapolis Monthly .
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Reyes-Kulkarni, Saby (September 13, 2023). "Stephen Wilson Jr: The Moments That Made Me". Holler.
  5. ↑ Hudak, Joseph (June 13, 2024). "Stephen Wilson Jr. Blows Up Father's Day Platitudes with Startling 'Grief Is Only Love' Video". Rolling Stone.
  6. ↑ Horowitz, Steve (March 28, 2023). "Stephen Wilson Jr. Compiles His Singles on 'bon aqua'". PopMatters .
  7. ↑ Hudak, Joseph (July 11, 2024). "Stephen Wilson Jr. Drops a Slashing Cover of Nirvana's 'Something in the Way'". Rolling Stone.
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