Vide: Stephen Wilson Jr. Releases Acoustic Performance Video for 'Year To Be Young (1994)'

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr. released a live acoustic performance video for single “Year To Be Young (1994).” The video comes on the heels of Holler naming Wilson’s debut double album søn of dad their #1 Album of the Year, calling Wilson “a sage storyteller and unrivaled songwriter whose welcome arrival spurs a ground-breaking new energy in Nashville.”

Wilson also announced tours supporting Brothers Osborne and The Cadillac Three next spring and summer following his shows with The Lone Bellow to close out the year. See a full list of tour dates below and at stephenwilsonjrmusic.com.

Released five years to the day of his father’s death, søn of dad is a 22-song tribute to Stephen Wilson Sr. that has garnered widespread critical acclaim from Billboard, Rolling Stone, Nashville Scene, American Songwriter, CMT, Whiskey Riff, Wide Open Country and many more.

The debut double album channels all sides of Stephen Wilson Jr. – a scientist with a degree in microbiology and chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University, a boxer trained by his single father who himself was a two-time Indiana State Golden Gloves Champion, a songwriter, and, most importantly, a son. 

“Writing and making this album has been very therapeutic for me to learn who I am and what my existence looks like after my father. Because life has to go on,” Wilson says. “I'm living my own life, but it's like his death book ended what life he should have had onto mine and I'm carrying it around like a train car.”

Wilson has previously released acoustic videos for “Cuckoo,” which has garnered over 7 million views on Instagram, and “All The Wars From Now On” which has over one million. The viral performances resulted in a surge of album sales moving søn of dad into the top 20 albums on the iTunes Country chart. The record’s emotional centerpiece “Father’s Son” was called one of the “Best Country Songs of 2023 So Far” by Rolling Stone, while “patches” led Country Music Pride to laud Wilson as “America’s best living songwriter.”

Elsewhere, album opener “the devil” was recently featured in the final scene of season 7, episode 4 of the long-running SHOWTIME smash Billions, while fan favorite track “Holler from the Holler” and its impactful official music video continue an impressive run on the international film festival circuit, earning selections and awards across ten independent festivals globally.

This year, Wilson has made his Grand Ole Opry, Stagecoach, Ryman, CMA Fest and Red Rocks debuts and has shared the stage with The Lone Bellow, Midland, Drake White, Larry Fleet, Charley Crockett, 49 Winchester and Joss Stone. Wilson is currently wrapping up another run of dates with The Lone Bellow, which included three shows at NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall. He’ll kick off the new year with a sold-out hometown show at Nashville’s EXIT/IN on January 19. 

Tour Dates:

12/5: Rochester, NY - The Theater at Innovation Square #
12/6: Fairfield, CT - The Warehouse #
12/8: Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s #
12/9: Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s #
12/10: Richmond, VA - The National #
1/19: Nashville, TN - EXIT/IN
3/2: Berlin, Germany - C2C Berlin 
3/3: Rotterdam, Netherlands - Ahoy Rotterdam
3/28: Milwaukee, WI - Eagles Ballroom *
3/29: Omaha, NE - Steelhouse Omaha *
3/30: Waukee, IA - Vibrant Music Hall *
4/1: Midland’s Last Resort Cruise 
4/7: Fort Lauderdale, FL - Tortuga Music Festival
4/11: Florence, AZ - Country Thunder Arizona
5/4: Dublin, IE - The Academy %
5/5: Belfast, NI - Limelight %
5/8: Glasgow, UK - 02 Academy %
5/9: Newcastle, UK - NX %
5/11: Manchester, UK - Academy %
5/12: Leeds, UK - 02 Academy %
5/14: Nottingham, UK - Rock City %
5/16: Cardiff, UK - Tramshed %
6/13: Columbus, OH - KEMBA Live! Outdoor Amphitheater *
6/14: Buffalo, NY - Terminal B at The Outer Harbor *
6/15: Sterling Heights, MI - Michigan Lottery Amphiteater *
6/27: LaFayette, NY - Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards Summer Concert Series *
6/28: Newark, NJ - New Jersey Performing Arts Center – Prudential Hall *
6/29: Cleveland, OH - Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica * 
8/1: Detroit Lakes, MN - WE Fest
# - with The Lone Bellow
* - with Brothers Osborne 
% - with The Cadillac Three

Photo Credit: Acacia Evans

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