{{Short description|Australian rock band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Southern Sons | image = | caption = Southern Sons performing live at the Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne on 26 January 1992. | image_size = | background = group_or_band | origin = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | genre = {{hlist|Soft rock<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/5124229/golden-return-of-price/|title=Golden return of Price|first=Josh|last=Leeson|date=December 22, 2017|website=Newcastle Herald}}</ref>|pop rock}} | years_active = 1989–1996, 2019–present | label = Wheatley Records, RCA Records, Sony BMG | website = | current_members = Jack Jones<br/>Virgil Donati<br/>Phil Buckle<br/>Geoff Cain<br/>Peter Bowman | past_members = }}
'''Southern Sons''' is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria in 1989 by members of The State along with lead vocalist and guitarist Irwin Thomas, who was then using the stage name Jack Jones. They are best known for their Australian top ten hits "Heart in Danger", "Hold Me in Your Arms", and "You Were There".
==Career== ===1989–1991: Beginnings and ''Southern Sons''=== {{Main|Southern Sons (album)}} Southern Sons were established in 1989 and featured several members of the band The State, one such member guitarist Phil Buckle and Sons lead man Jack Jones in 1990 worked alongside John Farnham as session musicians on his album Chain Reaction, as well a accompanied Farnham on tour. The group signed a record deal with Farnham's manager Glenn Wheatley on his '''Wheatley Records''' label.<ref name="whammo_com_au">{{cite web|url=http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=394|title=Encyclopedia entry for 'Southern Sons'|publisher=Whammo|accessdate=15 August 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040829234945/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=394|archivedate=29 August 2004|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
In July 1990, Southern Sons released their debut single "Heart in Danger", which peaked at number 5 on the ARIA Charts. In November 1990, the single "Always and Ever" was released as well as the group's debut self-titled album, ''Southern Sons'' peaked at number 5 on the ARIA albums chart. A third single, the ballad "Hold Me in Your Arms" was released in March 1991 and peaked at number 9.
===1992–1996: ''Nothing But the Truth'' and ''Zone''=== {{Main|Nothing But The Truth (Southern Sons album)|Zone (Southern Sons album)}}
In August 1992, Southern Sons released "Lead Me to Water", the lead single from the group's second studio album. The song peaked at number 36. ''Nothing But the Truth'', was released in November 1992 and came with the departure of guitarist Peter Bowman. The album's third single "You Were There" peaked at number 6 in May 1993. The Sydney Dance Company included three Southern Sons songs in its 1993 production of ''Beauty and the Beast''.<ref name="whammo_com_au" /><ref name="2026 Heart In Danger Tour"/>
Southern Sons' third and final studio album, ''Zone'', was released in 1996. The album's lead single, "Don't Tell Me What's Right", featured vocals from Men at Work's Colin Hay. Soon after the album's release, Southern Sons disbanded.<ref name="2026 Heart In Danger Tour"/>
===1996–2018: After Southern Sons=== Jones was married to New Zealand-born Australian actress Rebecca Gibney from 1992–1995. The marriage ended in divorce. Jack Jones reverted to his birth name Irwin Thomas and has recorded under that name with several projects, including Mudhead and Electric Mary, while also joining John Farnham on multiple tours. In 1999 Jones played on the ''Tour of Duty – Concert for the Troops'' for peacekeeping Australian troops in Dili, East Timor.<ref name="2026 Heart In Danger Tour"/>
===2019–present: Band re-formation=== In 2019 the group re-formed after 22 years, for ''One Electric Day'' concert.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.frontiertouring.com/past-tours/2019/one-electric-day-1|title= One Electric Day |website=Frontier Touring|date=November 2019|access-date=25 March 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.noise11.com/news/southern-sons-to-play-first-shows-in-25-years-for-one-electric-day-20190603|title= Southern Sons to Play First Show in 25 Years |website=noise11|date=3 June 2019|access-date=25 March 2026}}</ref>
The group toured Australia in 2025<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.noise11.com/vinterviews/southern-sons|title= Southern Sons|website=noise11|date=December 2024|access-date=25 March 2026}}</ref> and again in 2026.<ref name="2026 Heart In Danger Tour">{{cite web|url=https://www.noise11.com/news/southern-sons-2026-heart-in-danger-tour-20251211|title= Southern Sons Announce 2026 Heart In Danger Tour |website=noise11|date=11 December 2025|access-date=25 March 2026}}</ref>
==Members== * Jack Jones – lead vocals, guitar * Phil Buckle – guitar, vocals * Peter Bowman – guitar, vocals * Geoff Cain – bass * Virgil Donati – drums, studio keyboards * Pete Drummond - tour drums and vocals
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Title ! rowspan="2"| Details ! Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"|Certifications<br/><small>(sales thresholds)</small> |- !style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"|AUS<br/><ref name=aus>Australian (ARIA) chart peaks: *Top 50 peaks: {{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Southern+Sons|title=australian-charts.com > Southern Sons in Australian Charts|publisher=Hung Medien|accessdate=2017-07-31}} *Top 100 peaks to December 2010: {{cite Ryan|page=261}} * All ARIA peaks: {{cite web|url=https://imgur.com/a/RLiiXrK |title=Southern Sons ARIA Chart history to 2025 |publisher=ARIA|via=Imgur.com|access-date=18 May 2025}} N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.</ref> |- ! scope="row"| ''Southern Sons'' | align="left"| * Released: November 1990 * Label: Wheatley, RCA, BMG * Formats: CD, vinyl, cassette | 5 | *ARIA: 2× Platinum<ref name=ryan>{{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| ''Nothing But the Truth'' | align="left"| * Released: November 1992 * Label: RCA, BMG * Formats: CD, cassette | 26 | |- ! scope="row"| ''Zone'' | align="left"| * Released: August 1996 * Label: RCA, BMG * Formats: CD, cassette | 129 | |}
===Compilation albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Title ! Details |- ! scope="row"|''Truth'' | align="left"| * Released: 1993 (International release) * Label: RCA, BMG |}
===Extended plays=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Title ! rowspan="2"| Details ! Peak chart positions |- !style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"|AUS<br/><ref name=aus/> |- ! scope="row"| ''Train Tracks'' | align="left"| * Released: June 1991 * Label: RCA, BMG * Formats: CD, cassette | 40 |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Single ! Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"|Certifications<br/><small>(sales thresholds)</small> ! rowspan="2"| Album |- !style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"|AUS<br/><ref name=aus/> |- | rowspan="2"|1990 | align="left"| "Heart in Danger" | 5 | *ARIA: Gold<ref name=ryan/> | align="left" rowspan="4"|''Southern Sons'' |- | align="left"| "Always and Ever" | 16 | |- | rowspan="2"| 1991 | align="left"| "Hold Me in Your Arms" | 9 | |- | align="left"| "The World Is Mine" (European release) | {{n/a}} | |- | rowspan="2"| 1992 | align="left"| "Lead Me to Water" | 36 | | align="left" rowspan="5"|''Nothing But the Truth'' |- | align="left"| "I Can't Wait Any Longer" | 111 | |- | rowspan="3"| 1993 | align="left"| "You Were There" | 6 | *ARIA: Gold<ref name=ryan/> |- | align="left"| "Sometimes" | 99 | |- | align="left"| "Silent Witnesses" | 88 | |- | rowspan="2"| 1996 | align="left"| "Don't Tell Me What's Right" | 57 | | align="left" rowspan="2"|''Zone'' |- | align="left"| "Trust in Me" | 127 | |}
===Video albums=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Year ! Album |- | 1991 | align="left"| ''Southern Sons: The Video'' (VHS) |}
===Music videos=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Year ! Song ! Director |- | rowspan="3"| 1990 | align="left"| "Heart in Danger" | align="left"| Craig Griffin |- | align="left"| "Always and Ever" | align="left"| Lance Reynolds |- | align="left"| "Hold Me in Your Arms" | align="left"| Craig Griffin |- | 1991 | align="left"| "Waiting for That Train" | align="left"| Neil Stone, Robbie Blackburn |- | rowspan="2"| 1992 | align="left"| "Lead Me to Water" | align="left"| |- | align="left"| "You Were There" | align="left"| |- | 1995 | align="left"| "Trust in Me" | align="left"| |}
===Other appearances=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Year ! Song ! Album |- | 1993 | align="left"| "The Little Drummer Boy" | align="left"| ''The Spirit of Christmas 1993'' |- | 1995 | align="left"| "You Were There" | align="left"| Music from Blue Heelers (Television soundtrack) |}
==Awards and nominations== === APRA Awards === The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apraamcos.com.au/search|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207235410/https://www.apraamcos.com.au/search|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 February 2021|title=Nine first-time winners in 12 APRA Music Award categories|work=APRA Awards|publisher=Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS)|date=6 March 2015}}</ref>
{{awards table}} |- |rowspan="1"| 1991 | "Heart in Danger" (Phil Buckle) by Southern Sons | Most Performed Australian Work | {{won}} |- |rowspan="1"| 1993 | "You Were There" (Phil Buckle) by Southern Sons | Song of the Year | {{nom}} |- |rowspan="1"| 1994 | "You Were There" (Phil Buckle) by Southern Sons | Most Performed Australian Work | {{nom}} |}
===ARIA Music Awards=== The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987. 1927 have won three awards. {{awards table}} ! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | rowspan="4"|1991 | "Heart in Danger" | Breakthrough Artist - Single | {{nom}} | rowspan="4"|<ref name="ARIA1991A">{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090608063024/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1991 | url = http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1991 | title = Winners by Year 1991 | publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) | archive-date = 8 June 2009 | access-date = 4 December 2013 }}</ref> |- | ''Southern Sons'' | Breakthrough Artist - Album | {{nom}} |- | Ross Fraser for "Heart in Danger" by Southern Sons | Producer of the Year | {{won}} |- | Doug Brady for "Always and Forever" and "Heart in Danger" by Southern Sons | Engineer of the Year | {{nom}} |- | rowspan="2"|1992 | "Hold Me in Your Arms" | Song of the Year | {{nom}} | rowspan="2"|<ref name="ARIA1992A">{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070926235813/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1992 | url = http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1992 | title = Winners by Year 1992 | publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) | archive-date = 26 September 2007 | access-date = 4 December 2013 }}</ref> |- | Ross Fraser for "Hold Me in Your Arms" by Southern Sons | Producer of the Year | {{nom}} |- {{end}}
==References== <references/>
{{Southern Sons}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Australian pop rock groups Category:Australian soft rock music groups Category:Musical groups established in 1989 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1996 Category:Musical groups from Melbourne