It has been a remarkable past twelve months for Australian awesome foursome Jetty Road.
Winning their second Golden Guitar (CMAA) Award for Best Group or Duo in January 2012 at the 40th Australian Country Music Awards has established twin sisters, Lee and Paula Bowman, Julian Sammut and Simon Ross as one of Australian Country Music's hottest and brightest stars.
The release of their fourth album Far Away Places in May 2011 saw the band garner some serious attention from both fans and critics alike with a signing to On Ramp Records, one of Canada's premiere country record labels. They are the only non-Canadian act amongst an impressive Canadian country music artist roster including Victoria Banks, Shane Yellowbird and Jaydee Bixby. Having already spent 30 weeks on the ARIA Australian Country Album Chart, Far Away Places is without doubt Jetty Road's best work to date.
The four friends met whilst studying at Music College in Melbourne, Australia, and after a few years began writing and recording, releasing their debut album Full Circle in 2005, the follow up album, Dirt Roads City Lights in 2007, their multi award winning album Life at a Million Miles in 2009 and most recently Far Away Places in 2011.
And the figures are starting to stack up. The band have had numerous hit songs appear in the Top 20 on Australian country radio, 9 of those in the top 10, with I'm A Dreamer retaining the #1 position for 7 weeks, Million Miles #1 for 6 weeks, Serves You Right #1 for 4 weeks, and Sweet Goodbye peaking at #1 for three. Ten of the video clips for these tracks have appeared in the Top 10 on the CMC Top 30 chart (Country Music Channel) - six of them reaching the coveted #1 position, City Lights (2008), Million Miles (2009), World Keeps Turning (2009), Serves You Right (2011), I'm A Dreamer (2012) and Sweet Goodbye (2012).
Along with strong chart success, Jetty Road have taken home many awards over the past few years, including two CMAA Awards (Golden Guitar) at the 38th and 40th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia for Best Group / Duo. Jetty Road have also been honoured with Album of the Year and Single of the Year nominations. They've won other key country music awards including Australian Independent Artist of the Year, Australian Independent Album of the Year, Australian Independent Group/Duo of the Year, numerous Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards and the National Music Oz Award for Best Country Act. In October last year their significant award win at the inaugural AIADA awards made headlines; Jetty Road took out the major Professional Development Award ($20,000) in recognition of excellence in Australian Independent Country Music. Most recently, their 2012 APRA Music Award nomination for Country Work of the Year is further testament of their reputation both here and abroad.
There have been many career highlights, but taking their music to the world stage is undoubtedly at the top of this list. Playing main stage performances at festival giants Big Valley Jamboree, WE Fest, Havelock Jamboree, Merritt Mountain CM Festival, Capitol Hoedown, plus Norway and Switzerland's famous Vinstra and Trucker & Country Festivals alongside the cream of country music including Alan Jackson, Brooks and Dunn, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, Gretchen Wilson, Dwight Yoakam, and Glen Campbell to name a few.
And while many may view the title of Jetty Road's fourth album, Far Away Places, as a reference to their penchant for globetrotting, it also reflects their musical journey into the unknown. On past albums Jetty Road have written all of their own material, but their latest project sees a branching out with a number of notable co-writes, including The Road Hammer's Jason McCoy (I'm a Dreamer / Welcome to the Party) The Higgins (Let It Out / Look At Me) and a duet with Canadian Country Music superstar George Canyon (Wrong). Opting to record their 4th album half way across the globe in Vancouver, Canada with producer Paul Shatto has also proven to be an exciting partnership.
So, what's in store for Jetty Road you ask?
Stay tuned; it seems they may be in for one memorable ride.
