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STEPHEN WILSON JR. ANNOUNCES NEW COVERS EP BLANKETS

STEPHEN WILSON JR.
ANNOUNCES NEW COVERS EP BLANKETSFEATURES SONGS BY NIRVANA, TEMPLE OF THE DOG,
THE POSTAL SERVICE AND THE SMASHING PUMPKINS‘
OUT NOW
Today, the Indiana-born, Nashville-based rising star Stephen Wilson Jr. announced a new EP Blankets and released his moving interpretation of Nirvana’s ‘Something In The Way’. Arriving on August 29 via Big Loud Records, the four song EP will also feature covers of Temple of the Dog’s ‘Hunger Strike’, The Postal Service’s ‘Clark Gable’ and The Smashing Pumpkins’ ‘Tonight, Tonight’.

About ‘Something In The Way’, Wilson Jr. explains, “I used to listen to this song 100 times a day. There was ‘something in the way’ it was recorded. Kurt sang it laying down on his back, not an easy thing to do. It’s magic. There’s also something in the way that he transported this hillbilly kid from southern Indiana to Seattle, Washington.”This week, Wilson Jr. announced a headline show at Denver’s Mission Ballroom on April 18, 2026, following his recent Red Rocks debut last month where he supported Eric

This week, Wilson Jr. announced a headline show at Denver’s Mission Ballroom on April 18, 2026, following his recent Red Rocks debut last month where he supported Eric Church across his three night run. He also made his Newport Folk Festival debut in July where he performed a headline set and was a featured performer in the festival’s finale set. Throughout the rest of the year, Wilson Jr. will support HARDY on his JIM BOB TOUR, showcase at AMERICANAFEST for the first time, support Lukas Nelson on October 12 in Wilmington, NC, and continue on his wildly successful sold out søn of dad Tour. On November 23 and 24, he will headline Ryman Auditorium for the first time with two sold out shows.

Earlier this year, Rolling Stone featured Wilson Jr. in their Future of Music print issue, including him in their Future 25 list of artists who have them excited for the future. In a wide-ranging profile, Rolling Stone’s Joseph Hudak called him “one of country music’s most electrifying new artists.”

In May, he released the ‘Star Spangled Banner (Live from the 2025 NFL Draft)’ on streaming platforms following his “understated but hypnotic” (Rolling Stone) performance of the national anthem at this year’s NFL Draft. He also released the gritty music video for ‘Cuckoo’ starring HARDY + Joey Breaux, as well as a deluxe edition of søn of dad, his critically-acclaimed debut double album, featuring two new tracks taken from his viral Live at the Print Shop performance – the moving dedication to his late father ‘I’m A Song’ and a gripping reinterpretation of Ben E. King’s ‘Stand By Me’ – and 10 acoustic versions of fan favorites from the LP.

In 2024, Wilson Jr.’s career skyrocketed with his late night television debut on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers, followed by performances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s #LateShowMeMusic series and Later… with Jools Holland. Last fall, CBS News’ Jeff Glor traveled to Nashville for Wilson Jr.’s first major television interview, which was followed by a performance of three songs on CBS Saturday Morning.

Blankets tracklist:
1. Something In The Way
2. Hunger Strike
3. Clark Gable
4. Tonight, Tonight

Stephen Wilson Jr. | Image by Acacia Evans

ABOUT STEPHEN WILSON JR.                           
Stephen Wilson Jr.’s journey from the hollers of southern Indiana to Nashville, Tenn. has been a winding road that’s taken many detours: He’s been an Indiana State Golden Gloves boxing championship finalist, a scientist, and a lead guitarist and songwriter in an indie rock band. In 2016, he ditched his laboratory 9-to-5 and signed a publishing deal with BMG Nashville where his alchemic songcraft immediately made waves, leading to cuts from Caitlyn Smith, Old Dominion, Tim McGraw, Sixpence None the Richer, Leigh Nash and more.

2023 proved to be Wilson Jr.’s breakthrough year, signing with Big Loud Records and releasing his debut double album søn of dad: a triumphant, genre-spanning set of 22 songs dedicated to his late father and given to the world on the five-year anniversary of his passing. The album was named the No. 1 album of 2023 by Holler who called it “a record for the ages,” and earned a spot as one of the best albums of the year from Rolling Stone, Whiskey Riff and Wide Open Country.

In 2024, he made his network television debut on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers, followed by performances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s #LateShowMeMusic series and Later…with Jools Holland. Ahead of the one-year anniversary of søn of dad, Wilson Jr. was also profiled in an extensive feature for CBS Saturday Morning. So far in 2025, Wilson Jr. released a deluxe edition of his debut album that features a moving interpretation of ‘Stand By Me’ that has been streamed tens of millions of times. He is fresh off the heels of an entirely sold-out 2025 U.S. run of his søn of dad tour and is supporting HARDY on his JIM BOB TOUR on select dates from May through September, including the final show at Madison Square Garden.

This summer he made his Newport Folk Festival and Red Rocks debuts and throughout the year will perform at Cavendish Beach Music Festival, Boots and Hearts, Whiskey Moon and more.

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