Does rising country music star Stephen Wilson Jr. have family ties to John Mellencamp? There’s all kinds of fun facts about the “Year To Be Young 1994” singer. Stephen Wilson Jr. has lived a couple of different lives in his lifetime (he started out as a boxer, then he worked as a scientist for the MARs company for years). Hailing from Southern Indiana, Wilson Jr. has certainly made waves in country music over the past couple of years. Wilson Jr. first introduced himself with his EP Bon Aqua in 2023, and then really established himself with his masterful Son of Dad album he released later that same year. And to add to the list of fun facts I mentioned just a second ago, the 46-year-old artist was announced as a “New Artist of the Year” nominee at the CMA Awards, alongside Ella Langley, Shaboozey, Zach Top, and Tucker Wetmore. It’s nice that Wilson Jr. is finally being recognized for his musical contributions, but it’s rare to see a “new artist” that is closer to 50 than they are 30. The #CMAawards New Artist of the Year nominees are … @EllaLangleyMsic @ShaboozeysJeans @ZachTopMusic @TuckerWetmore Stephen Wilson Jr. (@SWJMusic) pic.twitter.com/AH10j9WTYv — CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) September 8, 2025 In fact, if Wilson were to win the award, he’d be the oldest artist to ever take home the New Artist of the Year award since it first started in 1981. At first glance, he appears to be the oldest nominee ever. For reference, Darius Rucker was 43 when he won in 2009, but was also already a music superstar at that point in his career, and Jelly Roll was 39 when he won in 2023. All that to say… it’s never too late to chase your dreams. And it’s pretty cool that Stephen Wilson Jr. chased his dreams and made it to the top from his humble beginnings in Seymour, Indiana. If the name of that town sounds oddly familiar, it’s also the hometown of 1980s rocker John Cougar Mellencamp – the man behind such hits as “Hurts So Good” and “Jack & Diane.” Wilson Jr. often mentions how big of a fan he is of Mellencamp, and shared in a 2o24 interview that he was “the soundtrack to my childhood.” The country singer also revealed that he’s actually a distant relative of the rock icon. While on Live At The Print Shop, Stephen Wilson Jr. explained that his father briefly dated a family member of Mellencamp’s, and that his mother is actually cousins with the rock star: “I met him when I was a kid. I’m oddly related to him. My mom was a Mellencamp. It’s a big family. I have a grandma Mellencamp. The family is really kind of big and divided. My dad actually dated (John Mellencamp’s) sister for a time… my momma’s cousin. So I actually went to his wedding when I was 12 years old because of my dad dating his sister.” View this post on Instagram So if that ever comes up during trivia night, now you know. The family tree sounds like it’s a little complicated, but Stephen Wilson Jr. said himself that he and John Mellencamp are technically related. And it sounds like the only time they ever crossed paths was when he was 12 years old at the singer-songwriter’s wedding. Certainly seems like the two guys from Seymour, Indiana who have made it in the music industry could link up and catch up, am I right? Guess Stephen Wilson Jr. could always wait for the “Mellencamp Reunion” to come around. You can hear Stephen Wilson Jr. talk about his connection to the rock legend in the interview below: “Stephen Wilson Jr. (Live at the Print Shop)” The post Is Country Music Star Stephen Wilson Jr. Related To John Mellencamp? first appeared on Whiskey Riff.