BATHURST music duo Smith & Jones are celebrating with their song Baby Blue officially at number one on the Australian Country Radio charts.
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The chart, released on Thursday, features a who’s who of Australian country music stars, including James Blundell, Amber Lawrence, Kasey Chambers and Paul Kelly.
Smith & Jones’ song is from their debut album Dark Gives Way which was released in early March.
The duo, Abby Smith and Sophie Jones, say they are over the moon at being in the charts among such well-known country stars.
“We just thought it was something that happened to Beyonce,” a very humble Ms Smith said.
“People are listening and that’s all we ever wanted.”
Songwriter Ms Smith wrote each of the album’s 12 tracks and she said the album’s title comes from a line in their song Childless Mother, and it describes her struggles and “horrible experiences” while living in Sydney before moving back to Bathurst.
Ms Jones praised the Bathurst and Central West communities for their support at gigs and in album sales.
People are listening and that’s all we ever wanted.
- Abby Smith, Smith & Jones
“People are so encouraging and so proud of us,” Ms Jones said.
“We’re only where we are because of the community in Bathurst and the community in the Central West and the community radio stations.”
Ms Smith said it was very hard to “get your music out there unless you’re on a label”, and the first time the song hit any charts was last month with TYGA FM in Tasmania.
“That was the very first time that we got in the charts. Were were number 30 in the Top 30,” she said.
“If you think about all the music in Australia, to be in the Top 30 out of all those songs that are out there, it’s really really amazing.”
Baby Blue is also getting a lot of air time with community radio stations.
Australian Country Radio host John Nutting is a long-time country music fan and presented ABC Radio’s Saturday Night Country on 75 AM and FM stations around Australia and internationally on Radio Australia for over 17 years.
He said Smith & Jones are a group that is worthy of their number one position in the charts.
It’s modern, young, vibrant, energetic young women who also give a nod to tradition.
- John Nutting, Australian Country Radio
“It’s modern, young, vibrant, energetic young women who also give a nod to tradition,” Mr Nutting said.
“That’s my estimate of how good I think they are.”
Mr Nutting said the charts reflect what is being played on Australian Country Radio on high rotation.
“I only know what I hear. I get stuff from the big stars and the little stars and everyone, and if I know something will touch people then I play it,” he said.
The digital radio station is broadcast free online and via apps, with 398,000 people tuning in last month.
“I’ve always been a very strong advocate for Australian music, Australian performances and Australian recording,” Mr Nutting said.
Smith & Jones will soon record a video for their second single, Small Town Woman, and are planning a tour later this year.
Australian Country Radio Top 10*
- Baby Blue - Smith & Jones
- The Lucky One - Amber Lawrence
- Feel The Beat - Ashleigh Dallas
- True Blue - James Blundell and Tania Kernaghan
- It’s Only Midnight - Matt Cornell
- Rockability - Shelley Minson
- Totem Tennis - Fanny Lumsden
- Don’t Wish It All Away - The McClymonts
- Hey - Kasey Chambers and Paul Kelly
- Angels In the Snow - Billy Pitt & Jarrod Hickling (new this week)
* The Top 10 was released at 5pm on Thursday, May 25, 2017.