Route 33’s back and they’ve brought a mate. New single, “ Blue Collar Man”, pairs the duo with Aussie country legend, James Blundell out on August 21, through RTC Records.
When Route 33 set out to write “ Blue Collar Man”, an original track inspired by the music that shaped them growing up, bringing James Blundell into the project was not a decision that required much deliberation. The song weaves together titles from some of Australia’s most iconic recordings into one seamless, heartfelt whole, and Blundell’s voice, his history, and his deep connection to the spirit of Australian country music made him the only artist who could do justice to what Jock and Trent had created.
What emerged from the studio session was a passing of the torch moment between two generations of Australian country music, bound together by a shared love of the songs and stories that define the genre. It is warm, gritty, proud and deeply Australian, the kind of track that reminds you why this music matters and why the artists who dedicate their lives to it deserve to be heard.
“We grew up on this music. We know all the words, we’ve lived them over the years. At first, it wasn’t easy to join the dots, but with a few days of solid work it came together, and we thought we really had something. So, we played it for friends, and performed it at a few festivals, and people just loved it. It went from something fun and cool, to the centrepiece of our upcoming EP. Then we just needed a Legend to pin it down, and James was super keen from the first time he heard the demo. The rest is history. We are stoked to be releasing this one!” – Trent McArdle
“ Blue Collar Man” was written and produced by Jock Barnes, Trent McArdle and Tom Garnett, and has been brought to life in a cracking music video directed by Duncan Toombs (also out on August 21).
ABOUT ROUTE 33 & JAMES BLUNDELL
Some collaborations make sense on paper. This one makes sense in the bones.
Route 33 are Jock Barnes and Trent McArdle, two mates who have spent nearly a decade building one of Australian country music’s most loyal and passionate fanbases. Their journey has been marked by consistent momentum, honest storytelling, and a refusal to take shortcuts. Debut album The Switch reached #6 on the ARIA Country Chart, Coro Drive hit #1 powered by fan favourite “Showing Off”, and 2024’s Chapters debuted at #1 on both the ARIA Australian Country Albums Chart and the AIR 100% Independent Albums Chart. Across all platforms, Route 33 have surpassed 5 million total streams. On the road, they have played CMC Rocks, Tamworth, Savannah in the Round, Groundwater, and the Gympie Music Muster, and in 2025 became the only Australian act invited to perform at the world-famous Calgary Stampede in Canada.
James Blundell needs little introduction. One of the true architects of modern Australian country music, Blundell burst onto the scene in the late 1980s and spent the following decades cementing his place as one of the genre’s most important and influential voices. With a string of ARIA nominations, a devoted national following, and a catalogue that has soundtracked the lives of Australian country music fans for nearly four decades, Blundell represents the very best of what the genre can be at its most honest and most human. His voice carries the kind of lived-in authenticity that cannot be manufactured, and his presence on any record instantly signals that something real is happening.
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