In 2004 James Johnston recorded his first song That’s What I Do, which he co-wrote with his elder sister Shona.
His mum Marie Johnston said Shona is the perfect sibling, “incredibly supportive” and her natural flair for writing helped James start off his early song-writing career.
That’s What I Do refers to James’ love of music as – “This is what I love and that’s what I do.”
The inside cover of his CD reads: “From a few strummed notes around a camp fire to final production, this has only been possible by the huge support of my family and a talented group of friends. Trevor and Tanya Brown of (Taree) Bass’n Blues Music, the great musicians of Gully Road and Ron Unicomb (James’ guitar teacher) of Camelot Music Studios Taree.”
James’ recorded country tune includes Ron Unicomb on guitar, Hugh Cowley on fiddle, Michael McHattan on bass and Trevor Brown on drums.
Trevor, who owns Taree’s Bass’n Blues Music store with his partner Tanya, has always been a big supporter of James.
Tanya and Trevor were also the encouragement, taking him to Tamworth with them, which led him straight to stardom.
Marie tells the story of James, at 10 years of age, meeting and jamming with country singer Lee Kernaghan.
“Kerry-Anne Kennerley was in Tamworth with her new radio show 2GB and James was spotted busking by Kerry-Anne’s music director Geoff Harvey. He was like ‘Kerry-Anne, you have to hear this boy play, he is great’,” Marie says.
It just so happened James decided to sing a Lee Kernaghan song – “Skinny Dippin” for Kerry-Anne, and unbeknown to him, Lee Kernaghan was waiting backstage to be interviewed and heard him play.
“Lee raced out to have a look and then he started to sing the last chorus of the song with him.”
Channel Nine’s A Current Affair witnessed the unstaged event and arranged for a re-creation of the meeting for television the next night.
Marie says everything about James’ music career seems like it was “destined to be”, from his Tamworth success to Star Struck, a schools musical extravaganza.
James’ love of the guitar stemmed from his mother at an early age.
James and Marie started taking guitar lessons together when he was nine-years-old, at the Camelot Guitar School in Taree.
Marie said she “put the guitar down and stopped playing” when James became too good for her.
But she said his guitar playing didn’t really take off until he started jamming with his high school mate Chad Hayden.
“That took his guitar playing to a new level,” she said.
“I don’t know what influence Chad had on him but there was this complete metamorphosis.”
It was around this time James started to branch out from his country roots to favour contemporary music.
Marie said James early “big influence” was Garth Brooks.
She recalls James watching a Garth Brooks concert on Television, recorded in New York. He was 12-years-old at the time and “James sat there mesmerised,” she said. The people in the audience were singing the lyrics of Garth Brooks songs back to him and James said: “Mum that’s what I want one day. That’s my high.” It was a year later that James recorded his first song which he co-wrote with his sister.
Today James is influenced by pop and contemporary artists and is a big fan of USA rock/pop star - John Meyer who is acclaimed for his singing and guitar skills.
James sang the John Mayer song - Your body is a wonderland at the Sydney Australian Idol audition and the judges were correct when they said he would have been able to woo the girls with that tune.
Marie said he “always had girls throwing themselves at him” but James has only had three serious girlfriends in his time - including his current girlfriend Tamara.
Marie said it wasn’t until after his first break-up when he was 16 and a half years old that she realised he was a talented song-writer.
“I got home one day and he was writing something and then he hid this piece of paper behind his back. I was like, ‘what’s that mate?’” Marie said he was rather coy and didn’t want to share it at first and said: “I am just bringing my feelings out.”
Marie persuaded him to share it and said when she did hear it she thought “wow”.
“I just sobbed,” she said.
“I was so overwhelmed with emotion I had to leave the room as it was really hard as a mother to hear him feeling this way and have him pour his heart out.”
Marie said she felt bad for having to leave but it showed how much he could touch people.
“His lyrics are from the heart and he really knows how to touch you.”
Marie said James mostly writes about love songs and his life experiences and uses the family as his “test dummies”.
“I sit and try and be the critic and suggest he try it this way but it’s hard,” she said.
James recently moved to Newcastle, after finishing year 12, to pursue his music career.
He was accepted into a business degree at University but Marie said he decided to defer the offer for a year and give music his best shot.
James has been playing live gigs at various venues along the central coast from Newcastle to Coffs Harbour.
Marie said everything James has ever bought he has paid for out of his busking money. “Nothing was ever handed to him,” she said. “We wanted to keep him grounded.” She said he has a good attitude and can relate to all different walks of people which is sure to take him far.
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