Search Results

< Back 01 JULY 2022 James Johnston and Kaylee Bell announce a new single 'SAME SONGS' Pre-Save to WIN a HOUSE CONCERT anywhere in the world! ARTICLE BY: KEALI RUSSELL, SCENESTR A first. A global friendly comp where a fan can WIN a HOUSE CONCERT by James Johnston and Kaylee Bell anywhere in the world! CLICK IMAGE TO PRE-SAVE

< Back 06 MAY 2022 James Johnston reveals new single 'COUNTRY BOYS' There’s no mountain too high for James Johnston. He’s just returned from performing alongside Lee Kernaghan at the 50th Tamworth Country Music Festival and Golden Guitar Awards; has amassed over 14M streams and counting; and recently celebrated his previous single ‘SMALL TOWN’ spending a remarkable 10 weeks at the #1 spot of the CountryTown Hot 50 airplay charts - an unparalleled feat for an Aussie artist in recent years. Now the breakout country star is back with his latest infectious anthem, ‘COUNTRY BOYS’. ARTICLE BY: KEALI RUSSELL, SCENESTR Despite Johnston’s meteoric rise he’s still as down to earth as it gets. Raised on the outskirts of the small town of Wingham, Johnston reminisces on his humble beginnings in ‘COUNTRY BOYS’ , singing, “We were building bonfires on Friday nights / we were chasing round them girls we liked.” It’s familiar territory for the ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ singer, as he glorifies rural living. “COUNTRY BOYS is my childhood captured in a song,” beams Johnston . “From riding dirt bikes to losing summers swimming in the creek.” Johnston’s bold and modern sound on ‘COUNTRY BOYS’ was once again forged alongside frequent collaborator, Justin Wantz (USA). Johnston and Wantz produced the track between Nashville and Australia, with Johnston bringing sought after Sydney producer, Liam Quinn ( Guy Sebastian, Rita Ora ), into the fold to record his vocals. The praise for Johnston’s music from media and fans alike is evidenced by its massive success. His debut offering, ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ , reached #1 on the CountryTown Hot 50 airplay charts and has passed 11M combined streams. It’s now regarded as the fastest streamed single by an Australian Country artist ever! Its follow up, ‘SMALL TOWN’ , was another home run for Johnston , reaching #1 again and holding the spot for 10 weeks , still featuring now in the Top 10 . Despite being a father to a growing family, Johnston still has time for a packed schedule of festivals throughout Australia. Appearing at Big Country Festival , Boots & Beach Festival , NQ’s Rock’n Country Music Festival , Gympie Music Muster , Savannah in the Round, and the enormous CMC Rocks , just to name a few. Johnston is set to perform to over 130 000 people across QLD, NSW and VIC in 2022. ‘COUNTRY BOYS’ , unearths how truly grateful and proud Johnston is of the upbringing he was gifted. It’s the kind of sentiment his rapidly growing fan base has come to love and respect. The song’s fresh and lively sound is perfect for a bonfire party in the middle of nowhere or a much-needed road trip along some country back roads. Make no mistake - James Johnston isn’t some flash in the pan - he’s the real deal. ‘COUNTRY BOYS’ is destined to be another smash hit for this country boy. CLICK SINGLE ARTWORK TO LISTEN ON YOUR PREFERRED MUSIC SERVICE

< Back 08 APRIL 2022 James Johnston's 'SMALL TOWN' continues to dominate James Johnston’ Small Town is at #1 for the tenth consecutive week on the Countrytown Hot 50 Country Airplay Chart. Get To Know Ya by Casey Barnes moves into second, ahead of Good Beer by Seaforth and Jordan Davis (#3) and Bryce Sainty with This Summer’s The One (#4) – we premiered the music video here. ARTICLE BY: KEALI RUSSELL, SCENESTR James Johnston ’ Small Town is at #1 for the tenth consecutive week on the Countrytown Hot 50 Country Airplay Chart . Get To Know Ya by Casey Barnes moves into second, ahead of Good Beer by Seaforth and Jordan Davis (#3) and Bryce Sainty with This Summer’s The One (#4) – we premiered the music video here . Read more here by COUNTRYTOWN CLICK SINGLE ARTWORK TO LISTEN ON YOUR PREFERRED MUSIC SERVICE

< Back 19 NOVEMBER 2021 James Johnston drives home his new ‘SMALL TOWN’ Over 5 million streams (and counting), a #1 airplay hit with a debut single release, top of Spotify’s Fresh Country playlist for a record 18 weeks, and over 8,000 fans utilising ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ on their Tik Tok’s. Heck, if this is any indication, James Johnston has well and truly arrived and is set to blow the doors off the country music worlds hinges with the release of his second single ‘SMALL TOWN’. ARTICLE BY: KEALI RUSSELL, SCENESTR A country boy born and bred in Wingham; James Johnston has built a sound that is capturing the hearts of listeners everywhere. His latest single ‘SMALL TOWN’ is a song of yearning: to return to his roots, away from the bright lights of the city skyline to the endless starlight of the bush. A sentiment his loyal fanbase are sure to resonate with. Produced by Elijah Cavanagh of Cavanagh Films, the video for ‘SMALL TOWN’ was shot on the outskirts of Gatton in Queensland, to capture the simple pleasure of a country bonfire party. “The story line follows the journey of a young country guy who was working in the city returning to his roots”, explains Johnston . “We threw a big party with a bunch of friends and just captured the magic.” Johnston’s writing is unique and familiar all at once, with a modern unique sound. On the writing of the song, Johnston says: “I wrote ‘Small Town’ on the drive back home to my hometown of Wingham. I had been spending quite some time in the city and I was just so excited to get back to my family farm. I wanted to capture that feeling of excitement and anticipation in the song - that build up as I was on that drive to get back home.” Produced by Justin Wantz in Nashville, ‘SMALL TOWN’ follows on from ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ , a debut single that has seen Johnston garner extensive national airplay leading to a #1 hit single on TMN CountryTown Hot 50 airplay charts. With over 5 million streams, ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ is now regarded as the fastest streamed single by an Australian Country artist ever. Johnston’s recent activity on the live circuit has seen him play to huge crowds garnering stand out reviews. From performances at Pro Bull Riding events, to festival’s including Bush to Bay Festival and Savannah In The Round , the praise has been encouraging with Mareeba Express stating “Performing at his first ever festival, Johnston – the voice behind the massive breakout hit ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ was exceptional during his main stage performance on Friday afternoon. This man is going places. Make no mistake – this man is headed for a career in Nashville.” Despite the accolades, Johnston is still the level-headed, unassuming and approachable country guy he has always been. “I think so often when you grow up in a small town you think there is something so much bigger and better out there. Only until you step away you realise the magic of a small town and a close community. My family farm is still on the outskirts of my small town of Wingham and it's still one of my favourite things to go back to” , Johnston says. ‘SMALL TOWN’ is a road-trip anthem, perfect for singing out loud with the windows down, by an artist who is going places – and fast. With Apple Music announcing Johnston as the first Australian country artist to feature in the ‘Up Next’ local program, geared towards identifying and showcasing rising talent across Australia and New Zealand, Johnston is making an indelible mark on the music scene. He’s an artist that is set to be the soundtrack of this summer, and many more to come. CLICK SINGLE ARTWORK TO LISTEN ON YOUR PREFERRED MUSIC SERVICE

< Back 22 JANUARY 2023 JAMES JOHNSTON CONTINUES METEORIC RISE WITH TWO GOLDEN GUITAR AWARDS Last night in Tamworth NSW, Australia’s spiritual home of country music, a boyhood dream was realised. ARTICLE BY: KEALI RUSSELL, SCENESTR Last night in Tamworth NSW, Australia’s spiritual home of country music, a boyhood dream was realised. The Wingham born, now Queensland based James Johnston took home two Golden Guitar Awards for New Talent of the Year and Vocal Collaboration of the Year for ‘SAME SONGS’ , a duet with Kaylee Bell. “I’m just so blown away to have won a golden guitar, let alone two”, Johnston said after the win. “So many of my heroes have stood on that stage to receive this award and to now have two of my own is pretty special!” It’s an incredible result for Johnston who released his ARIA Gold selling debut single ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ in 2021 and has now amassed 32 million streams across his single releases making him one of the most popular and exciting new artists on the Australian music landscape right now. But what seems like an overnight success for James Johnston is only telling part of his journey. James spent his early years hopping from farm-to-farm with his dad, selling and servicing tractors. With hours spent on the road travelling, James was introduced to great artists like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Garth Brooks and at just four years of age, James hit the stage for the very first time, performing ‘Friends in Low Places’ in front of his kindergarten class. From that moment on James’s future was set, he was a born performer. Throughout his teens, James and his family would spend most weekends travelling and performing on any stage that would take him. In 2008, James graduated from high school, bought a van and set out on the great Australian road trip, playing every little town and every pub he could find. Opportunities with Australian Idol and The X Factor came his way, giving Johnston valuable experience and further shaping him as an artist and performer. After a few years of living show-to-show, James needed inspiration and what better place to find it than where the soundtrack of his youth came from, Nashville Tennessee. It was this experience which changed him forever. James didn’t realise it at the time but for all the gigs he’d played, all the roads he’d travelled and all the people he’d met, the experiences were stored inside him. In Nashville, they poured out as songs. 300 songs in fact. James finally found his voice as a songwriter. Since his debut release of ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ Johnston has had another three #1 country radio songs with ‘SMALL TOWN’ , ‘COUNTRY BOYS’ and 'SAME SONGS' . The fruits of James’ labour have well and truly paid off. His ever growing legion of fans have been connecting to his authenticity as a songwriter as well as his road-hardened electric performances such as his show stealing sets at CMC Rocks Queensland and Savannah in The Round in 2022. It was a very proud James Johnston who took to the stage last Wednesday at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre for his first ever a sold out headline performance, the largest ticketed show at the festival. But of course, Johnston is only just getting started! 2023 will be a big year for the artist starting with his new single ‘GOT IT GOOD’ released this Thursday 26th January. The anticipation has reach fever pitch ever since Johnston started previewing the song on New Year’s Day. With thousands of pre-saves for ths single already, ‘GOT IT GOOD’ is set to be James’ biggest release yet. When asked what’s install for 2023, Johnston said: “This year I’m excited to release a lot more music and get out and bring my show to the people. That has always been my passion, getting out across the country to play shows and meeting the people that have been on this ride with me. 2023 has certainly kicked off in a big way!”

< Back 26 JANUARY 2023 GOLDEN GUITAR WINNER JAMES JOHNSTON RELEASES NEW SINGLE ‘GOT IT GOOD’ Australian Country music sensation James Johnston is back with his explosive new single, ‘GOT IT GOOD’. ARTICLE BY: KEALI RUSSELL, SCENESTR LISTEN HERE The track comes fresh off the back of his performance at the 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival , where he played his debut headline show to a capacity crowd at TRECC - a show that was not only the largest ticketed concert at the festival, but also sold out in record time. Johnston also closed out the night at the 51 st Golden Guitar awards, where he performed his #1 hit single ‘SMALL TOWN’ and scooped up two Golden Guitar awards – New Talent of the Year and Vocal Collaboration of the Year for ‘SAME SONGS’ , a duet with Kaylee Bell . As a family man drawing inspiration for his music through his role as a husband and father to two young sons, ‘GOT IT GOOD’ is the kind of raise-the-roof country song Johnston’s ever-growing fanbase have come to love. Its groove is contagious; effortlessly finding the middle ground between country, rock and pop. Yet, behind its energetic exterior lies a poignant message of appreciation for life’s often overlooked gifts. “GOT IT GOOD is about appreciating the simple things in life and being grateful for what you have as you realise, these are the big things worth celebrating,” reveals James. “The perfect lives of others is just a perception and when you stop to acknowledge the little things you have in your life – a roof over your head, a job that pays the bills and a love waiting for you at home, you realise you’ve GOT IT GOOD.” The catchy bop was penned alongside, Melbourne producers Msquared ( Michael Delorenzis and Michael Paynter ) and Golden Guitar nominee Melanie Dyer . Its airtight production is also thanks to the Msquared team and marks Johnston’s first full collaboration with the duo. Since releasing the now ARIA certified gold and #1 radio hit ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ in 2021, the singer from Wingham has enjoyed a rise to fame that can only be described as meteoric. Just 19 months into his career he’s amassed a whopping 32+ million streams, has achieved a further three x #1 radio airplay hits with ‘SMALL TOWN’ , ‘COUNTRY BOYS’ and ‘SAME SONGS’ , and was nominated for six Golden Guitar awards – two of which he took home last week. Quickly becoming one of the most sought after acts in Australian country music, Johnston has taken his “electrifying voice and array of feel-good country songs” - ( Newsport )to some of Australia’s biggest and most loved stages. With performances at CMC Rocks , Savannah in the Round , Berry’s Big Country , Gympie Music Muster and the Tamworth Country Music Festival in the last 12 months, he’s certainly ticked a few things off the bucket list. In April 2023 he’s slated to appear at Meatstock in Toowoomba, alongside country music giants Kasey Chambers and Brad Cox . James Johnston is undoubtedly the hottest topic in the Australian country music scene right now. His down-to-earth songs are instant party starters, as well as possessing heart-warming sentiments of life’s simple pleasures. ‘GOT IT GOOD’ has yet again proven that this artist is right at the top of his game with nowhere to go but up. DOWNLOAD AUDIO & MEDIA KIT HERE For radio and country media enquiries please contact: Jules Delemare - Wildheart Publicity E: jules@wildheartpublicity.com M : 0407 861 319 For TV, press and online enquiries please contact: Darryl Bailey – Six Boroughs Publicity E: darryl@sixboroughs.com.au M: 0423 563 894

< Back 22 NOVEMBER 2022 Road to success: Tamworth nod the ticket to singer’s future Country singer-songwriter James Johnston has sold out the biggest venue in Tamworth for his festival debut | GOLDEN GUITAR NOMINEES ARTICLE BY: KEALI RUSSELL, SCENESTR Heading into the annual summer festival held in Tamworth, James Johnston was hoping to sell a few tickets to his debut headline show at the capital of Australian country music. Trying to drum up interest in the live arena is a rite of passage for all performers, but it’s a desire that often goes unfulfilled, especially when artists have only released a handful of songs. The singer-songwriter was thrilled, then, to achieve his goal two months out from his January 18 concert – but this will be no small pub gig. “I’ve been lucky that I’ve played around the country, playing events and festivals,” Johnston, 31, told The Australian. “But for my very first ticketed show, I decided that I wanted to go big: what’s the biggest venue in Tamworth? Let’s try to sell that out.” Go big he did: Johnston’s sold-out gig is at the 1600-capacity entertainment centre known as TRECC, where only the biggest names in country music tend to play, such as veterans Troy Cassar-Daley and Lee Kernaghan. That same venue space will host the annual Golden Guitar Awards on January 21, and Johnson learned on Tuesday that he is the lead nominee, as a finalist in six categories including best new talent and song of the year. Speaking with The Australian last week, before the nominations were announced, Johnston was keeping a lid on his ambitions for the sector’s annual gathering. “I would say ‘hopes and dreams’, not expectations,” he said with a laugh. “I used to go to the Golden Guitars, and most of my country music heroes have stood up on that stage, so I’d be honoured if one day I get to do the same thing.” With six nominations, Johnston leads some highly esteemed colleagues: both Amber Lawrence and Adam Brand are up for five awards, as is Gold Coast country rocker Casey Barnes, while Tamworth local Ashleigh Dallas has four nominations. Since releasing his debut single, Raised Like That , in September last year, Johnston has amassed millions of Spotify streams and skilfully built an audience on video platform TikTok, where he has 195,000 followers . Having appeared on Australian Idol in 2009, when he placed third, then on The X-Factor in 2014, the artist from the NSW mid-north-coast town of Wingham knows how fickle the music business can be. “From being on reality TV shows to playing a thousand dirty pub gigs with a mate around Australia, I pull every one of those experiences into my live show and into my songwriting today,” he said. There’s another facet of his life that he doesn’t shy away from showing on social media , either: as a happily married father. “Trust me, there’s been plenty of people in the music industry that told me I should hide that part of my story,” he said. “I’ve gone, ‘Stuff that: I’m going to tell my story’,” said Johnston. “I am a proud family man, I’m a dad of two, and I love my wife. I’m proud of that part of my story, and I want to share all of it.” Toyota 51st Golden Guitar Awards 2023 Nominees APPLE MUSIC SINGLE OF THE YEAR All Or Nothing – Adam Brand Memory Lane – Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley Get To Know Ya – Casey Barnes Small Town – James Johnston Sing Along Drink Along – Morgan Evans CMT VIDEO OF THE YEAR Star Of The Show – Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley – Directed by Brad Murnane Small Town – James Johnston – Directed by Elijah Cavanagh South East Queensland – Luke O’Shea – Directed by Luke O’Shea and Jay Seeney Something Good’s Gonna Happen – The Wolfe Brothers featuring Amy Sheppard – Directed by Jay Seeney One Of Them Nights – Travis Collins – Directed by Jay Seeney VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR James Johnston & Kaylee Bell – Same Songs Kirsty Lee Akers, Amber Lawrence and Ashleigh Dallas – Let The Girls Sing Lee Kernaghan, Mitch Tambo and Isaiah Firebrace – Come Together Lyn Bowtell & Shane Nicholson – Wiser Melanie Dyer & Caitlyn Shadbolt – Dumb Decisions INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR Dust – Angus Gill & Pixie Jenkins Burning Mountain – Michael Carpenter and The Banks Brothers featuring Hamish Davidson Fidget Spinner – Mickey Pye Clippety Clop – Pete Denahy Soda Cap Boogie – The French Family Band BLUEGRASS RECORDING OF THE YEAR Sweet Sister Jasmine – Angus Gill Good Morning Moon – Kristy Cox Until This Song Ends – Lynchburg & The Weeping Willows Road Man – Michael Carpenter and The Banks Brothers House Of Sin – The Weeping Willows HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR I’m Coming Home – Written by Amber Lawrence and Katrina Burgoyne – Recorded by Amber Lawrence Listen to the Country – Written and Recorded by Angus Gill & Kevin Bennett Bogswamp – Written by Josh Cunningham – Recorded by Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham Come Together – Written by Lee Kernaghan, Mitch Tambo, Isaiah Firebrace, Nicholas Wolfe, Colin Buchanan and Garth Porter – Recorded by Lee Kernaghan, Mitch Tambo and Isaiah Firebrace South East Queensland – Written by Luke O’Shea, Fred Smith and Mitchell Lynham – Recorded by Luke O’Shea BUSH BALLAD OF THE YEAR Sometimes It’s Your Job – Written by Allan Caswell, Manfred Vijars and Lindsay Waddington – Recorded by Allan Caswell Ghostly Gums – Written by Kath Stewart, David Carter, Angela Bristow-Baohm and Andy Penkow – Recorded by Andy Penkow Waiting for the Boss – Written by Angus Gill, Alan Mackey & Mary O’Brien – Recorded by Angus Gill featuring Anne Kirkpatrick Out on Killarney – Written and recorded by Dean Perrett Family Tree – Written by Rod McCormack, Dianne Lindsay and Peter Simpson – Recorded by Dianne Lindsay NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR Blake Dantier Cass Hopetoun James Johnston Max Jackson Taylor Moss COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes McAlister Kemp The Buckleys The Weeping Willows MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Adam Brand Andrew Swift Casey Barnes James Johnston Morgan Evans FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Amber Lawrence Ashleigh Dallas Hayley Jensen Lyn Bowtell Melanie Dyer SONG OF THE YEAR All Or Nothing – Written by Adam Brand, Nicholas Wolfe and Tom Wolfe – Recorded by Adam Brand Star Of The Show – Written by Brooke McClymont, Adam Eckersley and Robby De Sa – Recorded by Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley Small Town – Written by Casey Barnes, Michael DeLorenzis and Michael Paynter – Recorded by Casey Barnes Small Town – Written by James Johnston and Nolan Wynne – Recorded by James Johnston South East Queensland – Written by Luke O’Shea, Fred Smith and Mitchell Lynham – Recorded by Luke O’Shea ALT COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR Dead Men Tell No Tales – Allison Forbes – Produced by Matt Fell Strength Of A Queen – Andy Golledge – Produced by John Vella & Ryan Miller Tug of War – Jenny Mitchell – Produced by Matt Fell Looks Like Heaven – Kim Cheshire – Produced by Rod McCormack You Reap What You Sow – The Weeping Willows – Produced by Andrew Wrigglesworth & Laura Coates CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR All Or Nothing – Adam Brand – Produced by Adam Brand, Vesa Matara, Benjy Pocock and Luke Wooten Living For The Highlights – Amber Lawrence – Produced by Stuart Stuart Light It Up – Casey Barnes – Produced by Michael DeLorenzis and Michael Paynter Silver Linings – Kaylee Bell – Produced by Simon Oscroft, Andy Mak and Joseph Faris Wiser – Lyn Bowtell – Produced by Shane Nicholson TRADITIONAL COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR In The Moment – Ashleigh Dallas – Produced by Brett Dallas Dry Season – Blake Dantier – Produced by Simon Johnson Shades of Blue – Kristy Cox – Produced by Jerry Salley Mr Goodtime – Michael Carpenter and The Banks Brothers – Produced by Michael Carpenter Travelling Heart – TC Cassidy – Produced by Angus Gill TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR All Or Nothing – Adam Brand – Produced by Adam Brand, Vesa Matara, Benjy Pocock and Luke Wooten Living For The Highlights – Amber Lawrence – Produced by Stuart Stuart In The Moment – Ashleigh Dallas – Produced by Brett Dallas Light It Up – Casey Barnes – Produced by Michael DeLorenzis and Michael Paynter Silver Linings – Kaylee Bell – Produced by Simon Oscroft, Andy Mak and Joseph Faris

< Back 15 JANUARY 2023 James Johnston performs LIVE from the Tamworth Country Music Festival James Johnston has taken the Australian country music scene by storm ARTICLE BY: KEALI RUSSELL, SCENESTR LISTEN HERE James Johnston has taken the Australian country music scene by storm. He's been nominated for his first ever Golden Guitar Award, where he's topped the nominations scoring a total of six. James joined Kristy Reading in the ABC studio this week to discuss his relatively short road to success and what's next for the bonafide star.

< Back 01 FEBRUARY 2023 James Johnston nominated for Rolling Stone - Best New Artist Amy Shark, The Wiggles & Kylie Minogue Among 2023 Shure Rolling Stone Australia Awards Nominees The Rolling Stone Australia Awards will return to Sydney on April 4th for a night to celebrate Australian music ARTICLE BY: KEALI RUSSELL, SCENESTR Rolling Stone Australia has today unveiled the likes of Amy Shark and The Wiggles as nominees for this year’s Rolling Stone Australia Awards, which return to Sydney on April 4th for a party in honour of Australian music. Among the nominees vying for top honours are global hitmakers and breakthrough stars. Multi-Platinum singer-songwriter Vance Joy leads the stellar list with three nominations for Best Record, Best Single, and the coveted Rolling Stone Global Award. Meanwhile, rising star Budjerah, global phenomenon The Wiggles, triple j darlings Spacey Jane, international touring juggernauts Gang of Youths, and king of country Keith Urban also have multiple nominations this year. The past 12 months have seen the rise and rise of many incredible new Australian artists, all capturing the attention of music lovers and tastemakers. Up for Best New Artist this year are Blake Rose, Budjerah, Eliza & The Delusionals, Forest Claudette, James Johnston, Lara D, Merci, Mercy, and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers. Each year Rolling Stone Australia invites international editorial teams, including editors from Rolling Stone US and Rolling Stone UK, to vote in the Rolling Stone Global Award category. Nominated this year are Alison Wonderland, Gang of Youths, Iggy Azalea, Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Rüfüs Du Sol, Tash Sultana, The Wiggles, Tones And I, Troye Sivan and Vance Joy. The annual awards introduce multiple new sponsors this year, including headline partner Shure alongside Australis, Canna, Panhead, JMC Academy and Jim Beam. Poppy Reid, Editor-in-Chief at Rolling Stone Australia publisher The Brag Media, said: “We take great pride in the fact that, by hosting our third annual Rolling Stone Australia Awards, we get to play a part in recognising Australian music’s growth. Our partnership with Shure was organic. We both share a love for local music and we’re so excited to showcase the energising spirit of Australia with a night to remember on April 4. I am immensely proud to be part of the team pushing local acts worldwide through our awards judging process, and our editorial partnership with Rolling Stone parent company PMC.” Will Repanellis, Head of Marketing at Jands, said of Shure’s sponsorship: “It’s fantastic that we can bring together two iconic music industry brands, with a combined 153 years of championing Australian music, at this year’s Shure Rolling Stone Australia Awards.” In the weeks ahead, Rolling Stone Australia will reveal this year’s hosts, performers and the nominees in the hotly-contested Rolling Stone Readers’ Award. First announcing the arrival of the awards in 2020, the highly anticipated first edition of the event saw artists recognised across the five categories, including Best Record, Best Single, Best New Artist, the Rolling Stone Global Award, and the Rolling Stone Readers’ Award. At last year’s ceremony, Genesis Owusu, The Kid LAROI and King Stingray were named the big winners, with live performances from Amy Shark and Ruby Fields. Rolling Stone Australia’s print readership was up 20% to 220,000 readers from the previous survey, according to new Roy Morgan research, ahead of many staple titles. 2023 Shure Rolling Stone Australia Awards Nominees: Best Single Amy Shark – “Only Wanna Be With You” Budjerah – “Ready for the Sky” Courtney Barnett – “Rae Street” Keith Urban – “Brown Eyes Baby” Ruel – “Growing up is ___” Spacey Jane – “Hardlight” The Kid LAROI – “Thousand Miles” Vance Joy – “Clarity” Best New Artist Blake Rose Budjerah Eliza & The Delusionals Forest Claudette James Johnston Lara D Merci, Mercy Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers Best Record 5 Seconds of Summer – 5SOS5 Gang of Youths – angel in realtime Julia Jacklin – Pre Pleasure Parkway Drive – Darker Still Spacey Jane – Here Comes Everybody The Wiggles – ReWiggled Thelma Plum – Meanjin Vance Joy – In Our Own Sweet Time Rolling Stone Global Award Alison Wonderland Gang Of Youths Iggy Azalea Keith Urban Kylie Minogue Rüfüs Du Sol Tash Sultana The Wiggles Tones And I Troye Sivan Vance Joy

< Back 28 SEPTEMBER 2023 JAMES JOHNSTON’S ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ IS A CELEBRATION OF BEING RAISED COUNTRY “The record will make you want to dance, make you want to cry, and make you want to turn around and buy a little property in a small town somewhere.” ARTICLE BY: KEALI RUSSELL, SCENESTR On paper, James Johnston’s meteoric rise appears to have unfolded at a back-breaking speed, but after speaking with him, you quickly realise that he is exactly where he should be, and it’s been decades in the making. Refreshingly, James extinguishes any ideas of imposter syndrome and embraces his position and accolades, reflecting on the last two years gratefully. “I feel incredibly honoured, lucky and blessed that I get to be doing it,” Johnston reveals. “I have been dreaming about this experience my whole life; it just took me almost 30 years to finally get out there and do it. And for my music to have connected so well, that’s the part that has been the dream. “I get to now travel around the country, like last night; I played to 3,000 people in a venue that was literally next door to where I would play pub covers to nobody listening. I was there three years ago with my acoustic guitar, and everyone was screaming at horses and barely listening. I used to watch people lining up at the venue next door, and I’d be like, ‘Imagine one day’. “Last night, I played to a packed house and toured with Morgan Evans , another hero of mine. It’s crazy. To be able to play those shows and see whole crowds of people sing my songs back to me and come up to me after and say, “Your story is like my story”, it’s just really cool.” Johnston’s popularity has been quick and emphatic, with many of his songs centred around the seemingly everyday experiences of being a parent, a husband and life on the land. With storytelling so foundational to the country genre, James’ ability to capture a feeling or message and convey it so earnestly has made him appeal to such a wide country audience. Johnston says when he sits down to write a song, there is no strategic thinking in creating something that is sure to connect with people. Instead, he made a commitment to himself when he started taking his music seriously that he would only speak his truth. When asked if his upcoming record would be more of the upbeat anthems he has come to be known for, he assures us it is but also hints that we can expect a broader range. “The record is a journey; that’s all I am going to say,” he teases. “There are 20 songs, and when you get to the end of the record, I think you will know me way more intimately. The record will make you want to dance, make you want to cry, and make you want to turn around and buy a little property in a small town somewhere. “The over-arching thing I say is that it is a celebration of a way of life. Raised Like That is just that – a celebration of being raised like that. There are topics that I touch on that are heavy, as things about living on the land are not always nice. But the over-arching message is being thankful for that way of life.” Johnston continues, “A lot of the music I have released up to date is pulled from my upbringing and growing up in a small town, growing up in the country and all the things that come with that. I think the album, a lot of the songs are the evolution of that – it goes from now, being a dad, and then getting back to my roots and reconnecting with my childhood, taking my family and being back in that environment and what that means now.” Track five on the album, This Land Is Killing Me tackles the historically high suicide rates in country towns, something that Johnston feels connected to. The song itself came to Johnston after a late-night call from a friend experiencing tough times facing the struggles of living on the land. Johnston’s father was also part of community groups in their country town that supported men of all ages facing similar situations. Johnston explains, “I have written a lot of songs with messages that I want to share, and I’m really excited that there are a few of those songs on there (the record). To be honest, I didn’t sit down to write them, thinking they would be my next single; I just wrote them because I felt like I had something to say at that time. “I was very content with them sitting between me and my guitar, and that’s the way I thought they would exist. It was only when I was putting the record together that I thought, ‘You know what, I am going to let some of these songs go and be a bit more open, a bit more vulnerable and share my story as well’.” Fans who fell for Johnston’s upbeat anthems can expect that same flavour when they listen to parts of the Raised Like That album or when seeing him on tour or at the Cruisin’ Country Festival . In fact, Johnston and Morgan Evans (who is touring with him) go way back and actually met at a local all-schools combined event, Star Struck , which was created to identify the next generation of music talent. Morgan, 16 at the time, took 12-year-old James under his wing and showed him the ropes, as it was the first time James was on a stage that big. Now, 20 years on, they are able to channel their decade of experience of growing up and performing in that Australian bar scene to deliver their fun, country-grown performances together. “That full circle moment of travelling with him and having these shows sell out once, twice and sometimes three times. It’s crazy. This feels like our home territory. Both our shows are high energy, and it’s cool because we are different artists, but there is a lot of positivity in the room when you come to a Morgan Evans and James Johnston show. Good vibes going around.” With Johnston receiving a Golden Guitar award for his Same Songs duet with Kaylee Bell, which features on the album, it’s clear that Johnston thrives when collaborating with friends and peers. When asked what it was like to collaborate with Zac and George on Some Things Never Change , he assured us that filming the clip was as organic and fun as it appears. “The amount of planning that went into making that video clip was just, ‘Hey, let’s go and shoot a music video at my old pub’. That’s about as much planning as we put in,” Johnston laughs. “We kind of let whatever happens happen. It was great because so many locals showed up, and this song is about connecting with old friends. “We were just sitting there having a beer, and the locals just kept topping up our beers and topping up our beers. In music videos, you often shoot the same clip five times or something, so every time we sat there, we would drink the beer, and then they would appear and top the beer up again. By the end of the clip, we were a bit toasted, but we had a good time. That’s what the whole song is about; it felt authentic.” Johnston is tight-lipped about any other collaborations that might be in the works, saying that he cannot announce anything but teases that we can add “yet”. When asked how his two young sons received the album at home, Johnston assures us that they aren’t too fussed. “I’m just plain old dad, to be honest. It’s funny; people always ask me how my kids feel about what I do and all that. But at the same time, my youngest, who is 18 months old, actually said his first sentence only two days ago, and the sentence was “I’m talking about my people”, which is one of my songs, My People . I was with my wife, and we said, ‘Did he just sing the lines to that song?’ So that was very cute; we might have a little rockstar on our hands. “There is also (another) song on this record that features my older boy, Coda , and it’s the first time he has ever sung before, and he’s actually singing on one of the songs. It’s really a story of being away from home and the challenges with family, and now he gets to be on that. It’s really nice. There is even a song on there that my wife and I wrote together. I’m excited; it feels like a piece of the family is in there.” “For me, I want to take people on a journey, and hopefully, they can see themselves and their story in some of my songs. They can also get to know me a bit better too. Hopefully, people like it, and if they don’t – I’m still really proud of it.” James Johnston’s ‘Raised Like That’ will be released on 29 September, with pre-orders available now. Johnston will perform at the 2023 edition of Savannah In The Round festival in Mareeba, Cairns Hinterland, on 6-8 October.

LATEST NEWS 27 November 2023 Review: James Johnston @ Venue 114 (Sunshine Coast) Country, Live Music, COUNTRY, LIVE 7 February 2023 Country music star James Johnston talks success of 2023 so far ABC, LIVE, TCMF, COUNTRY 22 January 2023 JAMES JOHNSTON CONTINUES METEORIC RISE WITH TWO GOLDEN GUITAR AWARDS Country, Pop 15 January 2023 James Johnston performs LIVE from the Tamworth Country Music Festival ABC, Live, TCMF, Country 4 November 2022 Hot 50 Chart: James Johnston and Kaylee Bell Reach #1 CountryTown, ChartTopper, Country, Pop 1 July 2022 James Johnston and Kaylee Bell announce a new single 'SAME SONGS' Country, Pop, HouseConcert 19 November 2021 James Johnston drives home his new ‘SMALL TOWN’ Country, Pop 29 September 2023 JAMES JOHNSTON TO MAKE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC HISTORY THIS FRIDAY … BECAUSE HE WAS RAISED LIKE THAT ​ 1 February 2023 James Johnston nominated for Rolling Stone - Best New Artist Nominee, bestnewartist, countrymusic, rollingstone 21 January 2023 A polished, golden new talent emerges in Tamworth Country 22 November 2022 NSW Mid North Coast musician James Johnston leads 2023 Golden Guitar Awards nominations Country, Pop 27 September 2022 Clayton Anderson and James Johnston Take Home Top Honours At Unsigned Only Music Competition CountryTown, Country, MusicAwards 6 May 2022 James Johnston reveals new single 'COUNTRY BOYS' Country, Pop ​ ​ ​ 28 September 2023 JAMES JOHNSTON’S ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ IS A CELEBRATION OF BEING RAISED COUNTRY ​ 26 January 2023 GOLDEN GUITAR WINNER JAMES JOHNSTON RELEASES NEW SINGLE ‘GOT IT GOOD’ GOTITGOOD, Country, Pop 18 January 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival: James Johnston nabs long list of Golden Guitar 2023 nominations GoldenGuitar, MusicAwards, Country 22 November 2022 Road to success: Tamworth nod the ticket to singer’s future Theaustralian, countrymusic, GoldenGuitar, MusicAwards, Country 1 July 2022 'COUNTRY BOYS' goes #1 at Country Radio in Australia Country, Pop, ChartTopper 8 April 2022 James Johnston's 'SMALL TOWN' continues to dominate Country, CountryTown

LATEST NEWS 27 November 2023 Review: James Johnston @ Venue 114 (Sunshine Coast) Country, Live Music, COUNTRY, LIVE 7 February 2023 Country music star James Johnston talks success of 2023 so far ABC, LIVE, TCMF, COUNTRY 22 January 2023 JAMES JOHNSTON CONTINUES METEORIC RISE WITH TWO GOLDEN GUITAR AWARDS Country, Pop 15 January 2023 James Johnston performs LIVE from the Tamworth Country Music Festival ABC, Live, TCMF, Country 4 November 2022 Hot 50 Chart: James Johnston and Kaylee Bell Reach #1 CountryTown, ChartTopper, Country, Pop 1 July 2022 James Johnston and Kaylee Bell announce a new single 'SAME SONGS' Country, Pop, HouseConcert 19 November 2021 James Johnston drives home his new ‘SMALL TOWN’ Country, Pop 29 September 2023 JAMES JOHNSTON TO MAKE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC HISTORY THIS FRIDAY … BECAUSE HE WAS RAISED LIKE THAT ​ 1 February 2023 James Johnston nominated for Rolling Stone - Best New Artist Nominee, bestnewartist, countrymusic, rollingstone 21 January 2023 A polished, golden new talent emerges in Tamworth Country 22 November 2022 NSW Mid North Coast musician James Johnston leads 2023 Golden Guitar Awards nominations Country, Pop 27 September 2022 Clayton Anderson and James Johnston Take Home Top Honours At Unsigned Only Music Competition CountryTown, Country, MusicAwards 6 May 2022 James Johnston reveals new single 'COUNTRY BOYS' Country, Pop ​ ​ ​ 28 September 2023 JAMES JOHNSTON’S ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ IS A CELEBRATION OF BEING RAISED COUNTRY ​ 26 January 2023 GOLDEN GUITAR WINNER JAMES JOHNSTON RELEASES NEW SINGLE ‘GOT IT GOOD’ GOTITGOOD, Country, Pop 18 January 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival: James Johnston nabs long list of Golden Guitar 2023 nominations GoldenGuitar, MusicAwards, Country 22 November 2022 Road to success: Tamworth nod the ticket to singer’s future Theaustralian, countrymusic, GoldenGuitar, MusicAwards, Country 1 July 2022 'COUNTRY BOYS' goes #1 at Country Radio in Australia Country, Pop, ChartTopper 8 April 2022 James Johnston's 'SMALL TOWN' continues to dominate Country, CountryTown