{'byline': 'by Michael Cerio', 'hosts': '', 'byline_sources': 'Audacy', 'audience_id': '', 'original_station': '', 'syndicated_items': [{'station': 'us99', 'path': '/us99/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'kfrog', 'path': '/kfrog/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'seattlewolf', 'path': '/seattlewolf/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'kson', 'path': '/kson/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'wbee', 'path': '/wbee/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'wycd', 'path': '/wycd/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': '1029thewolf', 'path': '/1029thewolf/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'newyorkscountry947', 'path': '/newyorkscountry947/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'seattlewolf', 'path': '/seattlewolf/latest/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'us101country', 'path': '/us101country/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'wkis', 'path': '/wkis/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'froggy101', 'path': '/froggy101/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': '931wolfcountry', 'path': '/931wolfcountry/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'thebull', 'path': '/thebull/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': '1065thewolf', 'path': '/1065thewolf/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'big985country', 'path': '/big985country/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'kmle1079', 'path': '/kmle1079/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'thewolfonline', 'path': '/thewolfonline/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'frontrange1031', 'path': '/frontrange1031/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'y108', 'path': '/y108/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': '997thewolf', 'path': '/997thewolf/latest/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'station': 'bigbuckcountry', 'path': '/bigbuckcountry/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}], 'original_item': {'_index': 'published-content_v44', '_type': '_doc', '_score': None, '_source': {'date': '2026-02-23T18:42:28.162+00:00', 'lead': [{'data': {'title': 'Audacy \'LAUNCH\' artist, Stephen Wilson Jr., on "Gary"', 'thumbnail_url': 'https://s1.dmcdn.net/v/a6SQQ1fd9diodPKAo', 'id': 'xa0ll7e', 'created_time': 1771870675, 'mode': 'vod', 'private_id': 'k7BMX3fMw57fKaEZkb8', 'owner': 'x2yitfe', 'description': 'Stephen Wilson Jr. talks about the meaning behind his song, "Gary," during an interview with Audacy\'s Katie Neal.', 'channel': 'music', 'tags': ['Country', 'Audacy Launch'], 'private': False, 'addPublic': True}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/dailymotion/instances/cmlzi49dm001o357y9wv5xtpd@published'}], 'slug': 'meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr', 'tags': ['Country', 'Audacy Launch', 'Stephen Wilson Jr.'], 'feeds': {'msn': True, 'rss': True, 'postup': True, 'facebook': True, 'newsfeed': True, 'sitemaps': True, 'frequency': True, 'smartNews': True, 'apple-news': True, 'smart-news': True, 'most-popular': True, 'reversechron': True, 'google-news-feed': True}, 'hosts': [], 'adTags': {'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/ad-tags/instances/cmlzi2cfq002t01q7nz92bkx6@published'}, 'byline': [{'hosts': [], 'names': [{'name': 'Michael Cerio', 'slug': 'michael-cerio', 'text': 'Michael Cerio'}], 'prefix': 'by', 'sources': [{'text': 'Audacy'}]}], 'teaser': 'Meet Audacy ‘LAUNCH’ artist, Stephen Wilson Jr.', 'authors': ['Michael Cerio'], 'content': [{'data': {'text': 'Audacy Country stations are excited to shine a light on the best emerging artists in music with\xa0<a href="https://www.audacy.com/topic/audacy-launch"><em>LAUNCH</em></a>. Meet\xa0<a href="https://www.audacy.com/topic/stephen-wilson-jr."><strong>Stephen Wilson Jr.</strong></a>, a singer who is still only showing the first layer of his talent, and the latest Audacy’s\xa0<em>LAUNCH</em>\xa0artist.', '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmlzi2cfq002x01q7qlh6qe8u@published'}, {'data': {'text': '<strong>Find your favorite station on\xa0</strong><a href="https://www.audacy.com/music/country-291c1"><strong>the free Audacy app</strong></a>', '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmlzi8xkc002e357y8809vil9@published'}, {'data': {'text': 'Already nominated for <em>Best New Artist</em> at the CMA Awards in 2025, Wilson Jr.\'s star started to rise before he even released his first song to Country radio. It\'s not the most traditional path to success, but what would you expect from the former boxer and scientist. Stephen has seen a lot, and those observations on everyday life have fueled his song, "Gary." Hear it now and get to know more about the rising Country star on your favorite\xa0<a href="https://www.audacy.com/music/country-291c1">Audacy Country</a>\xa0station.', '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmlzi925t002m357ytlu8g2hc@published'}, {'data': {'_version': 2, 'autoPlay': False, 'contentId': 'OJm3gYqKehA', 'videoType': 'Editorial', 'isPlaylist': False, 'origSource': 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJm3gYqKehA', 'videoValid': True, 'videoSource': 'video', 'playerCaption': None, 'videoLocation': 'article', 'videoPlaylist': '', 'playerHeadline': None, 'playerBorderTop': False, 'autoPlayNextVideo': True, 'componentVariation': 'youtube', 'playerBorderBottom': False, 'playerBorderTopCTA': 'Watch', 'previousTypeRelated': False}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/youtube/instances/cmlzijtop0032357y2pyfwllq@published'}, {'data': {'text': '"Gary is more of a metaphor. A garyotype, so to speak," Stephen told <strong>Katie Neal</strong> <a href="https://www.audacy.com/national/music/stephen-wilson-jr-on-the-science-of-songwriting">earlier this year</a>. "I started to basically think of Gary as a subspecies, a human, like a Gary as an organism, not so much just a name for a person because it was to me more of a stereotype," he frames it scientifically. "If you could classify that organism, how would you do that? That\'s that\'s how I approach Gary is almost like how <strong>Jane Goodall</strong> would approach a chimpanzee or something, kind of like studying the Garys in the wild because, you know, the Garys are going extinct."', '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmlziiqoh002u357yjkj0x3au@published'}, {'data': {'text': ""The Garys are very important. Gary important," he jokes. "Every Gary I know just knows how to fix something. They're just kind of born with this kind of natural mechanical inclination, so to speak. So I went around the world and basically had this hypothesis about the Garys, and every laboratory, I'd have someone come up like, 'I know exactly who you're talking about.'"", '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmlziov3k003c357yd8c7s3v5@published'}, {'data': {'text': ""If you can show me like a 10-year-old Gary, that's the the challenge I give to the audience. Present him to me, and we will bubble wrap him."", '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmlzirf5t003j357yjzlpwo1c@published'}, {'data': {'text': 'Don\'t miss "Gary" from Stephen Wilson Jr., now playing on your favorite\xa0<a href="https://www.audacy.com/music/country-291c1">Audacy Country</a>\xa0station, and find more music you should know at\xa0<a href="https://www.audacy.com/music/launch">audacy.com/launch</a>.', '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmlzisjzw003q357y4v39a22u@published'}], 'feedImg': {'data': {'alt': 'Stephen Wilson Jr.', 'url': 'https://radioimg.audacy.com/aiu-media/AUDLaunchStephenWilsonJrEditorial1920x1080-c348567a-a535-4e07-a57d-e3a72ebf43ba.jpg', 'width': 1920, 'credit': 'Big Loud Records / Audacy', 'height': 1080, 'mimeType': 'image/jpeg', 'sizeInBytes': '206958', 'componentVariation': 'feed-image'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/feed-image/instances/cmlzi2cfq002u01q7mlg53ul5@published'}, 'sources': [{'text': 'Audacy'}], '_version': 24, 'featured': False, 'headline': "Meet Audacy 'LAUNCH' artist, Stephen Wilson Jr.", 'msnTitle': "Meet Audacy 'LAUNCH' artist, Stephen Wilson Jr.", 'textTags': ['Country', 'Audacy Launch', 'Stephen Wilson Jr.'], '_msnTitle': {'shouldOverride': False}, 'apContent': None, 'isOpinion': False, 'pageTitle': 'Meet Audacy ‘LAUNCH’ artist, Stephen Wilson Jr.', 'sideShare': {'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/share/instances/cmlzi2cfq002v01q7i1dvaxtc@published'}, 'feedImgUrl': 'https://radioimg.audacy.com/aiu-media/AUDLaunchStephenWilsonJrEditorial1920x1080-c348567a-a535-4e07-a57d-e3a72ebf43ba.jpg', 'feedLayout': 'small', 'showSocial': True, 'breadcrumbs': [{'url': '//www.audacy.com/national', 'text': 'National', 'hidden': False}, {'url': '//www.audacy.com/national/music', 'text': 'Music', 'hidden': False}], 'contentType': 'article', 'seoHeadline': 'Meet Audacy ‘LAUNCH’ artist, Stephen Wilson Jr.', 'stationName': None, 'subHeadline': "Hear 'Gary' on your favorite Audacy Country station", 'dateModified': '2026-02-23T18:42:28.042Z', 'featuredNews': True, 'sectionFront': 'national', 'fullWidthLead': False, 'shortHeadline': "Meet Audacy 'LAUNCH' artist, Stephen Wilson Jr.", 'syndicatedUrl': None, 'unityPageType': 'article', 'editorialFeeds': None, 'featuredSports': False, 'msnTitleLength': 47, 'seoDescription': 'Audacy Country stations are excited to shine a light on the best emerging artists in music with ‘LAUNCH.’ Meet Stephen Wilson Jr., a singer who is still only showing the first layer of his talent, and the latest Audacy’s ‘LAUNCH’ artist.', 'isContentFromAP': False, 'noIndexNoFollow': False, 'pageDescription': 'Audacy Country stations are excited to shine a light on the best emerging artists in music with ‘LAUNCH.’ Meet Stephen Wilson Jr., a singer who is still only showing the first layer of his talent, and the latest Audacy’s ‘LAUNCH’ artist.', 'primaryHeadline': "Meet Audacy 'LAUNCH' artist, Stephen Wilson Jr.", 'genreSyndication': None, 'socialDescription': 'Meet Audacy ‘LAUNCH’ artist, Stephen Wilson Jr.', 'syndicationStatus': 'original', 'componentVariation': 'article', 'stationSyndication': [{'callsign': 'WUSNFM', 'stationName': 'US 99', 'stationSlug': 'us99', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/us99/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'KFRGFM', 'stationName': 'KFROG', 'stationSlug': 'kfrog', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/kfrog/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'KKWFFM', 'stationName': '100.7 The Wolf', 'stationSlug': 'seattlewolf', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/seattlewolf/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'KSONFM', 'stationName': '103.7 KSON', 'stationSlug': 'kson', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/kson/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WBEEFM', 'stationName': '92.5 WBEE', 'stationSlug': 'wbee', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/wbee/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WYCDFM', 'stationName': '99.5 WYCD', 'stationSlug': 'wycd', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/wycd/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'KMNBFM', 'stationName': '102.9 The Wolf', 'stationSlug': '1029thewolf', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/1029thewolf/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WXBKHD2', 'stationName': 'New York’s Country 94.7', 'stationSlug': 'newyorkscountry947', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/newyorkscountry947/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'KKWFFM', 'stationName': '100.7 The Wolf', 'stationSlug': 'seattlewolf', 'sectionFront': 'latest', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/seattlewolf/latest/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WUSYFM', 'stationName': 'US 101', 'stationSlug': 'us101country', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/us101country/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WKISFM', 'stationName': 'KISS Country 99.9', 'stationSlug': 'wkis', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/wkis/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WGGYFM', 'stationName': 'Froggy 101', 'stationSlug': 'froggy101', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/froggy101/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WPAWFM', 'stationName': '93.1 The Wolf', 'stationSlug': '931wolfcountry', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/931wolfcountry/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'KILTFM', 'stationName': '100.3 The Bull', 'stationSlug': 'thebull', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/thebull/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WDAFFM', 'stationName': '106.5 The Wolf', 'stationSlug': '1065thewolf', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/1065thewolf/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WRXLHD2', 'stationName': 'BIG 98.5', 'stationSlug': 'big985country', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/big985country/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'KMLEFM', 'stationName': 'KMLE Country 1079', 'stationSlug': 'kmle1079', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/kmle1079/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'KWJJFM', 'stationName': '99.5 The Wolf', 'stationSlug': 'thewolfonline', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/thewolfonline/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'KQKSHD2', 'stationName': 'Front Range Country 103.1', 'stationSlug': 'frontrange1031', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/frontrange1031/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WDSYFM', 'stationName': 'Y108', 'stationSlug': 'y108', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/y108/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WLFPFM', 'stationName': '99.7 The Wolf', 'stationSlug': '997thewolf', 'sectionFront': 'latest', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/997thewolf/latest/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}, {'callsign': 'WROQFM', 'stationName': 'Big Buck Country', 'stationSlug': 'bigbuckcountry', 'sectionFront': 'news', 'source': 'content subscription', 'syndicatedArticleSlug': '/bigbuckcountry/news/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr'}], 'hasSecondaryBylines': False, 'corporateSyndication': None, 'rollingStandoutCount': 0, 'secondarySectionFront': 'music', 'contentPageSponsorLogo': {'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/google-ad-manager/instances/cmlzi2cfq002w01q794po7mw1@published'}, 'displayLogoSponsorship': False, 'plaintextShortHeadline': "Meet Audacy 'LAUNCH' artist, Stephen Wilson Jr.", '_opinionHeadlineOverride': {'shouldOverride': False}, 'plaintextPrimaryHeadline': "Meet Audacy 'LAUNCH' artist, Stephen Wilson Jr.", 'canBeMarkedGoogleStandout': True, 'isContentFromNoIndexByline': False, 'availableStandoutArticleInventory': True, 'articleWithinGoogleStandoutPublishDateLimit': True, 'canonicalUrl': 'http://www.audacy.com/national/music/meet-audacy-launch-artist-stephen-wilson-jr', 'site': 'demo'}, 'sort': [5895757], 'stationSlug': 'wbee', 'original_id': 'www.audacy.com/_components/article/instances/cmlzi2cfq002y01q7crjeqfiq@published'}}
Skip to content





