Stephen Wilson Jr. Earns Four 2026 CMA Awards Nominations
Indiana native Stephen Wilson Jr. is nominated for Male Vocalist, New Artist, Song of the Year, and Music Video of the Year at the 60th Annual CMA Awards.
Written by Amanda Tempel
Date Published: September 10, 2026
Stephen Wilson Jr. is among the top nominees at the 2026 CMA Awards, earning four nominations including recognition in two major artist categories and two nominations for “Gary.”
The Indiana-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter is nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year, while “Gary” earned nominations for both Song of the Year and Music Video of the Year. The “Gary” video features actor Gary Sinise, who Stephen thanked following the nominations announcement.
Stephen Wilson Jr. now has five career CMA Awards nominations after receiving his first nomination for New Artist of the Year in 2025.
Stephen Wilson Jr.’s 2026 CMA Awards Nominations
Stephen Wilson Jr. is nominated in four categories at the 60th Annual CMA Awards:
Song of the Year — “Gary”
Male Vocalist of the Year
Music Video of the Year — “Gary”
New Artist of the Year
Stephen is the sole songwriter of “Gary,” meaning the Song of the Year nomination recognizes him directly as the songwriter. He also co-directed the “Gary” music video with Tim Cofield.
View the complete 2026 CMA Awards nominees and visit our 2026 CMA Awards guide for more information about this year’s awards.
Gary Sinise Appears in Stephen Wilson Jr.’s “Gary” Video
One of the recognizable faces in the “Gary” music video is actor Gary Sinise, known for roles including Lt. Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump.
Stephen Wilson Jr. also celebrated the team behind the video, which he co-directed with Tim Cofield.
“Hi - whoa. Fuel for a busted up Jeep. Life is rather wild. Thank you everyone within the CMA community and everyone beyond for all the love & support / honored & grateful to be nominated. I'm not sure what to do here but here we are.
“Thank you, forever Gary Sinise - he did his own stunts. Congrats to every Gary, our team and creative partners Ben West & Tim Cofield for their nominations.
“Love y'all massively. So thankful.”
— Stephen Wilson Jr.
The Music Video of the Year nomination recognizes Stephen Wilson Jr. and Tim Cofield as directors of the video.
“Gary” Earns Two CMA Awards Nominations
“Gary” accounts for two of Wilson Jr.’s four CMA nominations this year.
Stephen Wilson Jr., who wrote the song by himself, is nominated for Song of the Year, while its Gary Sinise-featured video is nominated for Music Video of the Year.
The video marked Wilson Jr.’s ninth collaboration with director Tim Cofield. Tim Cofield also directed Stephen’s official video for “Cuckoo,” which won Visual Media of the Year at the 2026 ACM Awards in May.
Stephen Wilson Jr. Returns After First CMA Nomination in 2025
Stephen Wilson Jr. received his first CMA Awards nomination in 2025 when he was nominated for New Artist of the Year.
He also performed twice during the 59th Annual CMA Awards. Wilson Jr. delivered a solo performance of his cover of “Stand By Me” and later joined Shaboozey for their collaboration “Took A Walk” from The Long Walk.
His four nominations in 2026 bring his career CMA Awards nomination total to five.
Stephen Wilson Jr. Announces New Single “Cørnerman”
Along with his CMA Awards nominations, Stephen Wilson Jr. announced that his new single, “Cørnerman,” will be released September 15.
The date carries special significance for Stephen. It marks the third anniversary of his debut double album, søn of dad, as well as the eighth anniversary of the death of his father.
“Cørnerman” follows several recent releases from Stephen Wilson Jr., including “Hardwired” featuring Miranda Lambert, “Preacher’s Kid,” and “Gary (Live From CMA Fest 2026).”
Stephen Wilson Jr.’s Gary The Torch Tour Continues
Stephen Wilson Jr. will continue touring throughout the remainder of 2026 with his Gary The Torch Tour, including dates in the United States and Europe.
He will also support Brandi Carlile for three shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre September 11-13.
The Gary The Torch Tour is scheduled to culminate with two shows at The Truth in Nashville on December 11 and 12. View his complete tour schedule here.
The 60th Annual CMA Awards will be held Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
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