This week the Australian Music Office is featuring another Aussie favorite 'Artist of the Week' - John Butler Trio!
Currently on tour in support of their latest album, Grand National, John Butler Trio has been making waves across the United States. The tour, which has already included shows at Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tennessee will finish up July 1st at Solarfest in Taos, New Mexico.
Throughout the tour, the Trio has partnered with CLIF Bar, a natural food company, and their GreenNotes campaign to promote environmental awareness, blazing a trail of positive action by taking such environmentally conscious steps as using biodiesel to fuel their tour buses; offsetting the tour's CO2 emissions through the purchase of clean, renewable wind energy credits; using recycled paper and soy based inks for printed materials; providing organic cotton merchandise options for fans; and minimizing the idling of tour buses.
In March, the Trio released "Grand National", which is quickly proving to be a worldwide sensation. The album debuted at #1 on the Soundscan New Artist Chart in the U.S., where the first single, "Better Than," is in the Top 10 at AAA Radio. The album also debuted at #1 in the Trio's home country of Australia, and struck a Top 20 debut in France, and Top 30 debut in Japan.
Co-produced by Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys, Beck, Jack Johnson, Super Furry Animals) and John Butler, "GRAND NATIONAL" sees the John Butler Trio further opening its already wide-ranging sonic playbook, offering surprising new points of entry for newcomers, as well as inviting its legion of established fans deeper into its worldly vision. Centered around Butler's virtuoso guitar stylings and powerful, progressive lyricism, tracks such as "Funky Tonight" and the laidback lead track, "Better Than," draw upon a remarkable variety of musical genres, spanning folk, blues, funk, classic rock 'n' roll, and beyond. Joining the Trio on this extraordinary journey is an array of special guests, including Butler's partner, Danielle Caruana, Vika and Linda Bull, and on keyboards, the one-and-only Money Mark Nishita.
Having already established himself as a major artist in his native Australia, Butler and his band made their initial North American impact with 2002's independently released "THREE." The group soon signed with Lava/Atlantic, which released "SUNRISE OVER SEA" in March 2005. The album drew critical acclaim for its expansive artistic fervor, as did the JBT's inspired and energetic live shows, including headline dates, tours alongside Dave Matthews Band, festival appearances at Bonnaroo and the celebrated New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and a landmark television performance on CBS-TV's Late Show with David Letterman.
In the JBT's home country, "SUNRISE OVER SEA" proved nothing less than a phenomenon, achieving 5x-platinum certification and earning Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards for "Best Independent Release" and "Best Blues & Roots Album," with Butler named "Best Male Artist." In addition, the album's hit single, "Zebra," was named "Song of the Year" by the Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA).
The John Butler Trio is: guitarist/vocalist John Butler, bassist Shannon Birchall and percussionist Michael Barker.
For more information, visit:
www.johnbutlertrio.com
www.myspace.com/johnbutlertrio.
www.clifgreennotes.com