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’.
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.