NASHVILLE, TENN. – Today, the rising star Stephen Wilson Jr. released a poignant official video for “Grief is Only Love,” an emotional centerpiece to his critically-acclaimed debut double album søn of dad out now. At its core, søn of dad is a tribute to Stephen Wilson Sr., and was released on September 15, 2023, five years to the day that his father passed away.
The official video, directed by Stephen Kinigopoulos and Alexa Stone, channels Stephen Wilson Jr.’s life story into a highly intense and emotional video that pulls from his experience of living with, loving, and ultimately losing his father unexpectedly. Similar to the main character in the video, Stephen raced to be by his father’s side in his final moments and was forced to say goodbye to him in his car on an iPhone 8 in the middle of Kentucky. “His last words to me were ‘Write a good song for me’ and then he said, ‘I love you’ four times,” he reflects.
Wilson Jr. shared a poem to accompany the video’s release:
“Brevity is a theme and life is only brief
grief is only love and love is only grief
the gravity of this epiphany
from a life’s mission to what seems like to the moon
Standing proud with my sad flag in a dune of a cratered heart
Unable to tell between the
two at times
One plus one equals
through at times. Learning.
Trying to understand & accept that I won’t understand
Whilst accepting that letting go is perhaps the best heavy hand. Learning.
Life down here is a line far from straight
And this song was a gift to help lighten up the weight.”
Following a completely sold out debut headline tour, tours with The Cadillac Three and HARDY, and his Stagecoach debut earlier this year, Stephen Wilson Jr. is currently in the midst of a tour supporting Brothers Osborne and a handful of summer festivals. In July, Wilson Jr. will head to Europe for a run of dates supporting Joss Stone, including Royal Albert Hall on July 8, and a date supporting Miranda Lambert in Memphis on Sept. 28.
“The most existential release of the year goes to relative newcomer Stephen Wilson Jr….if you listen closely, you’ll hear the work of a master craftsman versed in all manners of pop music.”
– Rolling Stone
“…the next iconoclastic leader of country’s rock revival.”
– The Tennessean
“Throughout the album, Wilson Jr. offers the kind of nuanced storytelling that has helped make stars of artists like Eric Church and Chris Stapleton, and he has the vocal prowess to back it up. An extremely promising debut.” – Billboard
“…the album ultimately feels like a declaration of creative independence — intriguing and insightful at all levels.” – Nashville Scene
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 finalist, a scientist, and a lead guitarist and songwriter in an indie rock band. In 2016, he ditched his laboratory nine-to-five and signed a publishing deal with BMG Nashville where his alchemic song craft immediately made waves, earning 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 death. 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 Whiskey Riff, Wide Open Country, music critic Grady Smith, and Rolling Stone. Last year, he toured with Brothers Osborne, The Cadillac Three, Midland, Hailey Whitters, and The Lone Bellow, with debuts at the Grand Ole Opry, Stagecoach, the Ryman Auditorium, CMA Fest, and Red Rocks. This year, he’s hit the road with HARDY, Brothers Osborne, Charles Wesley Godwin, and The Cadillac Three with festival appearances at C2C, Tortuga, Stagecoach, Country Thunder, and more.
