Stephen Wilson Jr. is one of country music’s most honest artists, and that’s one of the reasons Taste of Country has named him one of our RISERS: 2026 Artists to Watch.
Who Is Stephen Wilson Jr.?
Stephen Wilson Jr. is a country-rock singer-songwriter who originally hails from Indiana.
The former Indiana State Golden Gloves boxing championship finalist played guitar in an indie rock band and worked as a scientist in a lab before ditching that to sign a songwriting deal in 2016.
He’s since landed cuts with Caitlyn Smith, Old Dominion, Tim McGraw, Sixpence None the Richer and Leigh Nash, to whom he is married.
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Wilson Jr. parlayed that into releasing his first single as an artist. “Made for This” was a duet with Nash in 2021.
He’s released a pair of EPs, and Wilson Jr. dropped his debut album, Son of Dad, in 2025, inspired by his father’s death.
What Are Stephen Wilson Jr.’s Top Songs?
“Made for This” is one of his best-known songs:
Wilson Jr.’s current single is “Gary”:
What Are Stephen Wilson Jr.’s Career Highlights?
Whiskey Riff, Wide Open Country and Rolling Stone are among the media outlets who have praised Wilson Jr.
He made his network television debut on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers in 2024, followed by performances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Later…With Jools Holland.
CBS Saturday Morning also profiled him in 2025.
Wilson Jr. released a deluxe edition of his debut album in 2025 that featured his cover of “Stand by Me,” which has earned tens of millions of streams.
He earned his first CMA Awards nomination in November of 2025 for New Artist of the Year and performed twice on the broadcast.
He performed his collaboration with Shaboozey, “Took a Walk,” as well as a viral rendition of “Stand by Me.”
What’s Next for Stephen Wilson Jr. in 2026?
Wilson Jr. is headed out on the road on his sold-out Gary the Torch Tour beginning in March.
Before that, he will support Eric Church on select dates.
Keep up with Stephen Wilson Jr. via his official website.
See the Most Played Country Song from the Year You Were Born
Who had the most played country song during the year you were born? This list is a fascinating time capsule of prevalent trends from every decade in American history. Scroll through to find your birth year and then click to listen. Some of these songs have been lost through the years, many of them for good reason!
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
Most Popular Country Album From the Year You Were Born
Find out which country singer dominated on this list of the most popular albums from the year you were born or graduated high school.
This list is based on sales date from the Soundscan era (1991 to 2022) and total weeks spent atop Billboard‘s Hot Country Albums chart (1964-1990).
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
