Gulf Coast Musician Finds New Life In Music At 50 — Now Streaming Past 175k

SANTA ROSA BEACH FL – In a world obsessed with overnight success, Emerald Coast singer-songwriter Wes Herndon is building something better: staying power.

At 54, with a career, a family, and three decades of real life behind him, Wes Herndon could’ve comfortably stayed on the porch. Instead, he picked up his guitar — and started running.

With over 175,000 streams now under his belt and a catalog full of grit, humor, and soul, Herndon is proving that it’s never too late to chase what moves you — or to make people move right along with you.

Born in Georgia, but firmly rooted on the Gulf Coast, Wes Herndon has become an emerging voice in the Southern Rock, Swamp Blues, and Americana scenes. His music strikes that rare balance between raw and refined — a little weathered, a little witty, and always 100% real.

“All I ever wanted was to write songs that made people feel something. You know… laugh, cry, think… The fact that they’ve made it into people’s lives and playlists still surprises me in the best way,” Herndon says.

After walking away from music for 30 years, Herndon returned during the pandemic with nothing but a notebook full of thoughts, a sense of self, and a quiet need to share it with others. Since then, he's released a steady stream of Southern rock anthems and bluesy ballads like Southern Storm, Getting High at Low Tide, and ManSplain — each one stamped with his brand of storytelling and gravel-road guitar work.

“Honestly, I figured I’d record a few tracks, maybe guilt some friends into streaming them, and call it a day. Surprisingly, it’s turned into something else — and that’s amazing to me,” he adds

Herndon’s music has earned comparisons to artists like Chris Stapleton, Warren Haynes, ZZ Top, and John Mellencamp, while his recent live EP Live and Unplugged from the Beach captures the warmth and wit of a seasoned storyteller who’s lived the verses he’s singing. With a growing fanbase across the Southeast and beyond, Herndon is gaining ground the old-school way: one show, one song, and one listener at a time..

“It’s humbling. I’m just grateful that folks are giving these songs a shot,” Herndon says. “I spent a long time thinking this part of my life was over — turns out, it was just waiting for me to catch up.”

With over 175,000 streams and counting, Wes Herndon isn’t chasing fame — he’s chasing connection.

Because some voices only get stronger with time.

And some songs are worth the wait.