NASHVILLE, TENN. – Today, the Indiana-born, Nashville-based rising star Stephen Wilson Jr. releases the official music video for “Cuckoo” from his critically-acclaimed debut double album søn of dad (Big Loud Records). Directed by Tim Cofield, the clip paints a psychedelic picture of life in an Indiana holler featuring a frenetic dive bar performance from Joey Breaux, a Midwestern Gothic family scene and HARDY + Wilson Jr. playing catch with a ball of fire.
Wilson Jr. is currently in the midst of the entirely sold-out 2025 U.S. run of his søn of dad tour with stops in Detroit, Toronto and more. Earlier this month, it was announced that he will join HARDY on his JIM BOB WORLD TOUR on select dates from May through September, including the final show at Madison Square Garden. Find a full list of tour dates below and at stephenwilsonjr.com.
“’If one don’t drive ya then the other one will…’ running on cognitive American fumes at times,” shares Wilson Jr. “We’re all afraid of something. This video is a fiery glance at the ones whom haven’t given up but have given up on the game. These are not actors. A kaleidoscope of humans living and being. Unashamed of their shame. ‘Cuckoo…’”
“’Cuckoo’ is the eighth video Stephen and I have made together,” shares director Tim Cofield. “While ‘Holler from the Holler’ was the most ambitious concept we’ve co-directed, ‘Cuckoo’ is a planet in its own solar system. All these ideas come from Stephen’s brain. For example, the character driving backwards in the truck. Stephen actually knows a guy who has to drive to work backwards ’cause his truck only drives in reverse. My favorite thing about the ‘Cuckoo’ video is that all these characters you see are real people, not actors. There’s also some easter eggs hidden in there for diehard fans (look for wolf heads and aliens).”
Already this year, Wilson Jr. has released a deluxe edition of søn of dad 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,” as well as 10 acoustic versions of fan favorites from the LP. The Tennessean also named Wilson Jr. as one of the Top Nashville artists to watch in 2025, following his late year appearances on Bert Kreischer’s Bertcast and The Dan Patrick Show. His previously released interpretation of “Stand By Me,” which was called “the cover you need to hear” by Rolling Stone, has garnered over 20 million views across social media.
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 CBSSaturday Morning. Last year, Wilson Jr. also shared the stage with Brothers Osborne, The Cadillac Three, Midland and HARDY, the latter of which appeared on the duet version of “Father’s Søn” released last year.
STEPHEN WILSON JR. 2025 TOUR DATES
3/6: Cincinnati, Ohio – Bogart’s (SOLD OUT) @
3/7: Columbus, Ohio – The Bluestone (SOLD OUT) @
3/8: Lansing, Mich. – Grewal Hall at 224 (SOLD OUT) @
3/13: Detroit, Mich. – Saint Andrew’s Hall (SOLD OUT) @
Stephen Wilson Jr.’s journey from the hollers of southern Indiana to Nashville, Tenn. has been a winding road; he’s been a two-time Indiana State Golden Gloves boxing champion, an accomplished food scientist with dual degrees in microbiology and chemistry from MTSU, a lead guitarist of an indie rock band, a songwriter, and most importantly, a son. In 2016, he ditched his laboratory-bound nine-to-five at Mars, Inc. 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 Rolling Stone, Wide Open Country, music critic Grady Smith, and Whiskey Riff. Last year, he 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, alongside breakthrough television performances on CBS Saturdays, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Later…with Jools Holland, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s Late Show Me Music series.
PROVIDED COURTESY OF BIG LOUD FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
