Stephen Wilson Jr.has exploded onto the country scene recently, and when I sat down with him, I asked which artist has given him the best career advice. He didn’t hesitate — it was Eric Church.
Wilson Jr., who captivated the audience at the 59th CMA Awards on Nov. 19 with a powerful performance of “Stand By Me,” says Church has been the one “blowing wind into his sails.”
“Eric Church said some really nice, incredible and encouraging things,” Wilson Jr. shares. “He’s had such an admirable career that I very much admire.”
What Advice Did Eric Church Give Stephen Wilson Jr.?
Wilson Jr. says Church told him, “Slow down and try to enjoy it.”
Wait… did Eric Church just give Stephen Wilson Jr. the same advice Ferris Bueller gave all of us in the ’80s
“Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” — Ferris Bueller
Wilson Jr. adds, “I feel like it’s really easy to get caught up in the speed of it, and sometimes you just need to slow down and enjoy it.”
The rising country star says other artists have reached out, too, offering support and advice as he’s navigated his unusual path from biologist to musician. He credits that encouragement with helping him make the leap into country music.
Who Won Entertainer of the Year at the 59th CMA Awards?
The highly-coveted Entertainer of the Year award for the 59th CMA Awards went to Lainey Wilson, no relation to Stephen Wilson Jr.
Top 50 Eric Church Songs: His Greatest Hits and Best Deep Cuts
He’s been known to sample R-Rated burners and sage truth-tellers — and then there are two songs about murder. So, Eric Church’s songs fall into rows, but there are a lot of rows in his 15-year-plus catalog.
His best song? Taste of Country asked fans, staff and the industry to weigh in and then looked at chart success, sales data pop culture importance to choose No. 1 from No. 50. Songs with strong lyrical content rank high. Songs with creative production rank high. Songs with both ended up in the Top 5.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
10 Can’t Miss Items From Eric Church’s Country Music Hall of Fame Exhibit
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes