From “26 Cents” to New Music and Reunion Possibilities, Steve Wilkinson Reflects on the Family Band’s Legacy
Canadian country music fans who remember The Wilkinsons and their unforgettable hits “26 Cents,” “Fly (The Angel Song),” and “Jimmy’s Got a Girlfriend” may be wondering what happened to the beloved family band.
The award-winning group, known for its heartfelt songwriting and family harmonies, helped define an era of Canadian country music. Now, Steve Wilkinson is revisiting that legacy while introducing new music through Wilkinsons 2.0.
With the release of “Ordinary People,” a song he co-wrote with the late songwriter Charlie Craig, Steve is looking ahead to a new musical chapter while keeping the spirit of The Wilkinsons alive.
And for longtime fans hoping to see the family perform together again, Steve isn’t ruling anything out. In our interview, he reflects on the possibility of a reunion tour, the band’s musical history, and what comes next.
What Happened to The Wilkinsons?
The Wilkinsons became one of Canada’s best-known country music family groups, with Steve Wilkinson performing alongside his children, Amanda and Tyler.
Today, Steve is continuing to make music under the name Wilkinsons 2.0, introducing new material while celebrating the songs that first connected the family with country music audiences.
Although a reunion tour has not been confirmed, Steve reveals that conversations about performing together again have taken place.
Below, Steve discusses his latest release, his creative process, memorable family moments, and the possibility of bringing The Wilkinsons back together onstage.
In Conversation with Steve Wilkinson
First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello… This is Steve Wilkinson from a group called the Wilkinson‘s and it’s great to be getting my feet wet one more time around.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
I wrote “Ordinary People” with a very good friend, Charlie Craig, a number of years ago. When we wrote it, we were drawing from Charlie’s own relationship with his wonderful wife, Betty. That personal connection gave the song a real sense of honesty and heart.
Charlie was an incredibly accomplished songwriter, with hit songs recorded by some of the biggest names in music—from Ray Charles to Alan Jackson. It was a privilege to sit down and write with him, and “Ordinary People” remains a song that’s particularly meaningful to me because of the friendship and story behind it.
Walk us through your creative progress when creating music.
Generally speaking, a hook or a story idea will come to me, and in my world, I like to let it cook for a while. I’ll carry it around in my head until I feel like it’s ready, and then I’ll sit down with my computer and a guitar and start fleshing out what I’m hearing.
A lot of the time, a melody will come to me first—usually something that feels like it could become the hook of a chorus. That becomes the starting point, and I build the rest of the song around it.
But it can happen in other ways too. Sometimes it’s simply a great expression or a turn of phrase that gets stuck in my head. When that happens, I’ll start chasing it down to see where it leads. I think the best songs often begin with one little idea that refuses to let you go.
I’ve always been a bit of a people watcher. You’ll find me in a grocery store, walking through a shopping mall, or just sitting somewhere watching people go about their lives. I find myself wondering about the stories behind their eyes—where they’ve been, what they’ve experienced, and what brought them to that particular moment.
One day, I started thinking about how there are millions upon millions of ordinary people in the world, all living these seemingly ordinary lives. But then I thought about what happens when two hearts connect—when two people find each other and fall in love.
Maybe that’s what makes ordinary people extraordinary.
Because sometimes, it isn’t the life we live that makes us special… it’s the love we find along the way.
Now that the music is out, what does the ‘road ahead’ look like? Beyond tours and videos, what’s one ‘bucket list’ goal you hope to achieve with this release?
I’m excited to introduce a new generation of country music listeners to my new music—and, hopefully, reintroduce them to the songs and catalogue of The Wilkinsons. There’s a lot of history in those songs, but great music has a way of finding new ears, new hearts, and new generations. I’m looking forward to sharing what’s next while bringing some of what came before along for the ride.
Every artist has a ‘lightbulb moment’ where things just clicked. Looking back, what’s the one performance or milestone that made you realize, ‘Okay, this is what I was meant to do’?
Ever since I saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show, I wanted to create music and present music to a listening audience. If there’s unique moment where I thought to myself… Wow!… This might actually work… It happened when I was showing my wife and Amanda and Tyler the little house that I had built for them. It was at drywall stage. And for some reason, we started singing and there’s a magic moment when harmony comes together. And I refer to it as being in the pocket… Well, that evening when I was showing the house and the music started from the three of us it lifted me up and I thought wow this could maybe work.
We love championing Canadian talent. If you were curated a ‘Must-Listen’ playlist of emerging artists right now, who is the first person you’d add?
Here’s a couple of folks that bear watching: Danielle Ryan and Josh Stumpf
The future of Canadian country music is in good hands — and these are two names worth listening to.
There’s nothing like the energy of a live room. Where can fans catch you on stage next, and for someone seeing you for the first time, what should they expect from a Wilkinsons live experience?
Something has been quietly stirring in the family lately… Conversations have been happening. Old memories have been resurfacing. Perhaps it’s the fire that has been rekindled because of the induction into the Canadian country music Hall of Fame but …..
And every now and then, I hear those two words whispered…
“Reunion Tour.”
I’m not saying it’s happening.
I’m not saying it isn’t.
But after all these years, there’s something pretty special about the thought of standing on that stage together again.
Maybe some things are worth coming full circle for.
So, if the stars align…
you just might see us together again.
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