Stephen Wilson Jr. (born July 11, 1979) is an American country and rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter.
Early and personal life Born on July 11, 1979, Wilson was raised in Seymour, Indiana. Introverted as a youth, Wilson and his brother were guided by their father into competitive boxing. This experience, culminating in Golden Gloves amateur boxing competitions, helped him conquer stage fright. 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. Wilson is married to singer Leigh Nash.
Wilson's father died in September 2018.
Career After leaving his first band, AutoVaughn, Wilson settled into a stable job in the research and development department of Mars' food-science lab. There, he thrived professionally, got married, and moved to the countryside to raise his stepson, while continuing to write songs. After three years, he left Mars to become a full-time musician, taking a job with Big Loud as a staff songwriter in 2016.
Wilson signed with BMG, 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. 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. 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. It reached the top 40 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
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. 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. Wilson credits Soundgarden's Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell for helping him learn the guitar, particularly through their tunings.
Discography Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected details Title Album detailsSon of Dad Release date: September 15, 2023 Label: Big Loud Format: CD, digital download, LP
EPs + List of EPs, with selected details Title Album detailsBon Aqua Release date: March 24, 2023 Label: Big Loud Format: Digital downloadBlankets Release date: August 29, 2025 Label: Big Loud Format: Digital download
Singles + Title Year Peak chart positions Album USCountryAirplayPeaks on the Country Airplay chart: "Gary": "Gary" 2026 33
Promotional singles Source: "Made for This" (2021) "Year to Be Young 1994 (Unplugged)" (2022) "Father's Søn" (2023) "Mighty Beast" (2023) "All the Wars from Now On" (2023) "Patches" (2023) "Father's Søn (Acoustic)" (2024) "The Tunnel" (2024) "Stand by Me (Live at the Print Shop)" (2024) "The Star-Spangled Banner (Live from the 2025 NFL Draft)" (2025) "Dig a Hole" (2025) "Took a Walk (from The Long Walk)" (2025) "If There's a Heaven" (2025)
Music videos Title Year Director(s) 2026 "Gary" Tim Cofield
Awards and nominations CMT Music Awards
|2020 |"With a Little Help From My Friends" (with Charlie Worsham and Various Artists) |Quarantine Video of the Year
|2024 |"Year to Be Young 1994" (from CMT Studio Sessions) |CMT Performance of the Year
Academy of Country Music Awards
|2026 |"Cuckoo" |Visual Media of the Year
Country Music Association Awards
|2025 |rowspan=3| Stephen Wilson Jr. |rowspan=2| New Artist of the Year
|rowspan=4| 2026
|Male Vocalist of the Year
|rowspan=2| "Gary" |Song of the Year
|Video of the Year
References
External links