The hypnotic rendition is available now
The Indiana-born, Nashville-based rising star Stephen Wilson Jr. releases “The Star Spangled Banner (Live from the 2025 NFL Draft)” on streaming platforms. He performed the national anthem at this year’s NFL Draft, completely reinventing the standard with just a nylon-string acoustic guitar and his unmistakable voice.
The release arrives as Wilson Jr. begins his extensive run of shows with Hardy on his Jim Bob World Tour, which kicked off last night (Thurs, May 22nd) in Chula Vista, California, and continues on tonight in Las Vegas. The tour will continue on with shows across the country before culminating on September 23rd at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Next month, he’ll embark on a European headline tour that will make stops in Dublin, Amsterdam, London and many more.
“It was an honor and an unforgettable experience in chilly Green Bay performing this anthem at the NFL Draft,” shares Wilson Jr.
Already this year, Wilson Jr. has released the gritty music video for “Cuckoo” starring Hardy and Joey Breaux, as well as a deluxe edition of Søn of Dad, his critically-acclaimed debut double album. 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” – the album also included ten acoustic versions of fan favorites from the LP.
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 CBS Saturday Morning.
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