James Johnston Lands First Gold Single: ‘I’m truly humbled’

The debut single from rising country music artist James Johnston, “Raised Like That,” has been certified gold by ARIA and catapults him into the history books.

He is the first independent country artist to achieve the milestone in 21 years.

When it was released last July, it became the fastest single by an Australian-based country artist to hit one million streams. 

The single has now generated 11 million streams, while two follow-up singles brought the streaming tally to 14 million.

It was also the most played local country music track at the time of its release, and generated 8,500 TikToks with fans using it for dance routines and video content.

 “This song has changed my life!” he posted online. “I’m truly humbled by this! 

“Thank you everyone for being on this journey with me!”

“Raised Like That” was about Wingham, NSW, where he was born in 1990.

It tells of the values learned growing up in a closely-knit community of hard working people. 

His father sold and serviced tractors, and the young boy accompanied him as he visited farms.

On those long drives his father played him Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Garth Brooks.

By his teens, Johnston was busking in Tamworth and performing in bands.

In 2008, when he graduated from high school, he gave himself a year to “give music a crack.”

What followed was a regime of hard touring and performances to widen his audience.

In 2009 he gained himself national exposure, entering the seventh season of “Australian Idol” and placed third behind Stan Walker and Hayley Warner.

He built on that by buying a van and driving across the country, playing clubs and pubs.

He played conferences, gala dinners, festivals, charity fundraisers, awards nights, everything from the Lord Mayors Carols to the Gold Coast Indy 600, to performing at the Sydney Opera House with Michael Bublé to fronting a 50 piece orchestra before 10,000 at the Newcastle Entertainment Center as part of TV show “Starstruck” which he then compered in 2010 and 2011.

In 2022, he will perform to over 130,000 people across QLD, NSW and VIC.

Upcoming appearances include NQ’s Rock’n Country Music Festival in Mackay on August 20, the Gympie Muster on August 26, CMC Rocks on September 23—25, and Savannah in the Round in Mareeba, QLD on October 2.

“Raised Like That” came out of songwriting sessions in Nashville which yielded 200 songs.

Follow-up singles “Small Town” and “Country Boys” were also embraced by country radio.

His latest single, “Same Songs,” a duet with Kaylee Bell, came together with his fans. They sent him their choice of favourite numbers and artists, and he incorporated those into the song.