Rising star Stephen Wilson Jr. releases his new single “Gary” via Big Loud Records, kicking off a new era following his massively successful 2023 debut double album ‘Søn of Dad’. The track premiered with an electrifying performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The slow burning rocker builds to a propulsive peak, combining Wilson Jr.’s grunge influences with his signature lyricism that touches upon modern life in Middle America. Wilson Jr. is nominated for New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards, where he also performed twice. He played his moving rendition of “Stand By Me”, which has earned over 20 million global on demand streams, and joined fellow New Artist of the Year nominee Shaboozey for a special performance of “Took A Walk”, their song from the 2025 film ‘The Long Walk’, based on the novel by Stephen King.
Wilson Jr. announced the Gary The Torch Tour, which begins on March 6th in Columbus, Ohio, and includes stops in Toronto, Boston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Chicago and many more. Ahead of next year’s tour, Wilson Jr. closes out 2025 with his headlining debut at the Ryman Auditorium with two sold out shows on November 23 and 24. This year he released both a deluxe edition of ‘Søn of Dad’, which featured his rendition of “Stand By Me” that has been included in a primetime Pampers commercial, as well as his recent ‘Blankets EP’, which included covers of songs by Nirvana, Temple of the Dog, The Postal Service and The Smashing Pumpkins. In between headline shows, Wilson Jr. supported Eric Church during his three night run at Red Rocks in July, made his Newport Folk Festival debut, and joined Hardy on his Jim Bob World Tour.
2026 Tour Dates
1/27-1/31: Key West, FL – Mile 0 Festival *
2/17: Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
2/26: Tulsa, OK – BOK Center ^
2/27: Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena ^
2/28: Austin, TX – Moody Center ^
3/6: Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! #
3/7: Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe #
3/10: Cleveland, OH – The Agora #
3/11: Detroit, MI – The Fillmore #
3/14: Toronto, ON – HISTORY #
3/18: Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues #
3/21: Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount #
3/22: Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre #
3/25: Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore #
3/28: Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore #
4/11: Bossier City, LA – The Paradise Theater at Margaritaville Bossier City #
4/15: St. Louis, MO – The Pageant #
4/17: Kansas City, MO – The Midland Theatre #
4/18: Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom #
4/22: Omaha, NE – Steelhouse Omaha #
4/24: Madison, WI – The Sylvee #
4/25: Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed #
6/6: Lexington, KY – Railbird Music Festival *
7/18: Whitefish, MT – Under the Big Sky Festival *
* Festival
# Gary The Torch Tour