So much needed to happen for Shaboozey and Stephen Wilson Jr.’s song for Stephen King’s latest film adaptation to come together that it seems to be nothing short of serendipity. The duo wasn’t simply asked to create a credits song for The Long Walk — which they debuted live at the CMA Awards on Nov. 19 — they basically manifested the “dream” gig.
First, they met by chance at a party. “[We] met a couple years ago, actually at a CMA after party,” Wilson Jr. recalled in a Nov. 23 interview with Variety. “I think [Shaboozey] had heard a song or two of mine, and was like, ‘You’re a bad dude.’ And I was like, ‘You’re a bad dude.’ … And then sure enough, two years later, you know, he asked me to be a part of this song.”
“When I met him, the first thing I said to him was, ‘Has anybody told you you look like Stephen King?’” Shaboozey recalled. But both artists’ history with King began long before that.
“What’s wild is, I started singing this song called ‘Stand By Me’ because of the movie called Stand By Me, based off the Stephen King novella called The Body,” Wilson Jr. explained. “It’s haunted me my whole life, that song, and I sang it in this dude’s basement, and it blew up online. A big reason why I have a career is because of that song ‘Stand By Me’ and because of Stephen King.”
Shaboozey is a longtime fan of the celebrated horror author as well, so he was blown away to learn that his song “Last of My Kind” was used in the trailer for The Long Walk. “Like Stephen here, I’m also a huge Stephen King fan — Christine, Salem’s Lot, The Shining, the list can keep going. So I was really like, this is a dream come true, just having a song in the trailer.”
However, he was ready and willing to do more. “I hit up my team and I was like, ‘Hey, is there any more opportunity to create for this movie?’” he shared. When he learned they still needed a song for the end credits, he watched a preview for the film and then “just got to got to cooking.”
“I was really moved by it, and then I wrote the song that day,” he admitted. “Immediately after watching the movie, I got some members from my band together and we came up with some chords… I sent [Wilson Jr.] a text, and it just made sense; it came from my gut. I didn’t think of anybody else.”
Wilson Jr. was immediately blown away by the song, which they called “Took A Walk,” and did his best to match the energy and quality of Shaboozey’s verse and chorus. “Two days later, I sang it. Two weeks later, we heard it on a trailer,” he said.
“And here we are singing it at the CMAs,” Wilson Jr. added. “I’m singing ‘Stand by Me,’ and I’m singing ‘Took a Walk,’ both from a Stephen King movie. My name’s Stephen with a ‘PH.’ I ain’t no King… It’s just a weird full circle thing. I couldn’t have planned this if I tried. It is a God thing.”
“It’s funny, how he has this whole lore behind it,” Shaboozey agreed.
Who is Stephen Wilson Jr.?
If you’re not already familiar with Shaboozey’s collaborator, you may be after their CMAs performance, which many fans considered the highlight of the night. Following the standout moment, fans called him “the best thing since sliced bread,” “the best artist in decades,” and “the most talented artist at the awards.” One commenter added, “Great to see SWJ finally get the recognition he deserves. Man is a genius.”
Wilson Jr. first made his mark as a songwriter after signing with BMG Nashville in 2016, writing music for notable artists like Tim McGraw and Leigh Nash. His breakthrough as a solo artist came in 2023 when he signed with Big Loud Records and released his debut EP bon aqua, followed by his 2025 album søn of dad — a tribute to his late father.
Wilson Jr. was nominated for New Artist of the Year at the 2025 CMA Awards, but he lost out to Zach Top. Some angry fans believed he was “robbed” of the honor, but the standing ovation for his performance with Shaboozey was likely a nice consolation.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Nov 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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