Stephen Wilson Jr. Duets 'Hunger Strike' With Eddie Vedder — SkimNews
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- Stephen Wilson Jr. performed Temple of the Dog's "Hunger Strike" with Eddie Vedder at Ohana Fest in Dana Point, California, on Saturday, closing his set after Vedder emerged to take the mic following Wilson's first verse to a roaring crowd.
- Wilson capably handled Chris Cornell's vocal part on the 1991 track — originally a Vedder-Cornell duet — reaching for the stratosphere on the "I'm going hungry" refrain, though both he and Vedder sing in a deeper register than Cornell.
- Wilson recorded a studio version of "Hunger Strike" for his 2025 EP Blankets and has built a grunge-country hybrid style, covering Nirvana's "Something in the Way" in concert and describing his music as "Death Cab for Country."
- Wilson, a former competitive boxer, released new song "Cornerman" last week; "Cornerman" and "Gary," his tribute to the working class, are expected on his forthcoming album, the follow-up to his 2023 debut Son of Dad.
- Vedder's annual Ohana Fest opened Friday with a surprise Pearl Jam set that debuted new drummer Abe Laboriel Jr.; Pearl Jam is set to close the festival on Sunday night.
Why it matters: The performance gives Wilson a marquee co-sign from Vedder and validates his grunge-country fusion at a moment when mainstream Nashville is still largely defined by traditional and pop-country sounds — giving him a high-profile platform just as he rolls out his sophomore album cycle.
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