Every now and then, you come across a performer whose skill causes you to pause and pay attention. This is also true of this individual from rural southern Indiana.
I’m appreciative that this year has given me the chance to see a lot of live country music. The concert I went to in July in Cincinnati, Ohio, with Travis Denning, Kip Moore, and HARDY as the main act, was my favorite. HARDY’s Quit! tour included the performance, which included songs from his most recent album of the same name. This artist’s music has been referred to as “emo country,” which is basically a mashup of country and punk rock. I loved it even though it wasn’t typical at all.
‘Death Cab for Country’
I’ve been learning more about this subgenre of contemporary country music over the last several months, and I recently came into a performer that caught me off guard. This artist, who hails from rural southern Indiana, calls himself “Death Cab for Country,” a reference to the name of an alternative music band named Death Cab for Cutie. His unique sound is influenced by a wide range of musicians, including Nirvana, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, and The National. Let me be the first to introduce you to Stephen Wilson Jr., in case you haven’t heard of him yet.
Who is Stephen Wilson Jr.?
Wilson Jr. was brought up in Seymour, Indiana, by a professional boxer and his single father, according to AllMusic. The artist, who became a finalist for the Indiana State Golden Gloves, actually spent his early years in the boxing ring. Do you think that’s crazy? Wilson Jr. later graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a dual degree in chemistry and microbiology. After graduating from college, he co-founded the indie rock band AutoVaughn and learned how to play the guitar on his own.
Before leaving to pursue a career in his initial field of study, Wilson Jr. toured the world as lead guitarist with AutoVaughn for five years. Before agreeing to a publishing agreement with BMG Nashville in 2016, he spent a number of years working as an R&D scientist at Mars, Inc. His official website states that musicians like Caitlyn Smith, Brothers Osborne, Old Dominion, and MacKenzie Porter quickly recorded his tunes. Wilson Jr. signed with Big Loud Records in 2023 after releasing a few of tracks on his own.
Stephen Wilson Jr. Collaborates with HARDY
As he wraps up his 2024 Son of Dad tour, Wilson Jr. is playing songs from his most recent album, such as “Year to Be Young 1994” and “Father’s Son.” He recorded an acoustic version of the latter with HARDY earlier this year, and I have to admit, it’s really amazing. It was amazing to watch these two incredibly brilliant painters work together. In addition, the song itself is lovely and delves into Wilson Jr.’s connection with his father, who died in 2018, as well as his own identity.
Stephen Wilson Jr. Performs Unreleased Original Song
Wilson Jr. was recently featured on the YouTube monthly live performance series, Live at the Print Shop. He delivered a really impressive rendition of “Stand By Me” on the show, along with one of his unreleased songs, “I’m a Song.” Wilson Jr.’s unique vocals and acoustic guitar playing prowess are both captured in the performance, and this one truly shines. Wilson Jr. said the tune was unique before he began the song.
The artist smiled and said, “It’s a tough one for me to play, but I’ll do it anyway.” It was one of my dad’s favorite songs. It was his all-time favorite tune, he informed me.
As of December 9, 2024, there has been no notification of an official release for the song mentioned above, which is something I really hope will happen. Fans who appreciate this genre of country/folk music will undoubtedly appreciate the artist’s other outstanding tracks in the interim. In the future, I think we’ll see a lot more of Mr. Wilson Jr.
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