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An unstoppable duo.
Stephen Wilson Jr. surprised the packed-out Ryman Auditorium crowd in Nashville with a special appearance from his good friend and Big Loud Records label-mate, HARDY.
The duo have been close buddies for years now, with HARDY regularly singing Wilson Jr.'s praises as he continues his ascent. They teamed up for an evocative rendition of ‘Father's Søn’, taken from Wilson Jr.'s widely lauded 2023 album, søn of dad.
They joined forces for an acoustic studio take on the soulful offering back in September 2024, with HARDY injecting an extra sense of grit and verve into the heartfelt lyrics.
HARDY has shared a video of the endearing moment he emerged on stage with Wilson Jr., with the ‘TRUCK BED’ singer-songwriter gushing, “Thank you @stephen.wilson.jr for letting me come up and play Father’s Søn with you last night at the Ryman. This is a special song that I will always be honored to sing with you”.
Wilson Jr. echoes his sweet sentiments in the comments, “man, you're my friend, man. ❤️❤️ - love you dude”, concluding warmly, “thank you for everything forever”.
‘Father's Søn’ remains one of our favourite songs of the 2020's, with Wilson Jr.'s rich, intricate songwriting on full display as he reflects on his relationship with his late father.
After the Indiana native's stunning double-header of performances at the 2025 CMA Awards, delivering his viral cover of Ben E. King's iconic track, ‘Stand By Me’ and a moving duet of ‘Took a Walk’ with Shaboozey, it feels like there's more momentum than ever behind Wilson Jr. - and it's hard to think of anyone more deserving.
For more on Stephen Wilson Jr., see below:
