Irwin Thomas

Irwin Thomas (born Irwin Thomas Whittridge, 6 January 1971) is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He performed professionally using the stage name Jack Jones when he was the lead vocalist-guitarist in band Southern Sons (1990–95). As Jones, he was a member of John Farnham's backing band, on lead guitar, to record the artist's album, Chain Reaction (September 1990). The backing band supported its release during the associated concert tours in 1990 and 1991; Southern Sons also performed their own set list as an opening act for Farnham.

Irwin Thomas Whittridge was born in Manhattan, New York City. His, father Jack Goode, born Irwin Thomas Whittridge (January 1908 – June 1971), was a Hollywood film actor and Broadway performer. His mother, Renalda Whittridge (née Green), was an Australian-born folk singer and dancer; she returned to Australia in 1980, with her son. He was later known as Jack Thomas Whittridge Jones.

While at a secondary school in the rural city of Traralgon, in the mid-1980s, Thomas was a member of rock groups, Get off the Cat and then Survival. In the late 1980s he was a member of Hans Valen, which covered material by United State heavy rocker, Van Halen; and then he was in Gnomes of Zurich. As Jones, he auditioned as lead vocalist for a Melbourne-based rock, pop group, the State. The State had formed in 1987, with the line-up of Peter Bowman on lead guitar and backing vocals (ex-Cutters), Phil Buckle on guitar and lead vocals (Cutters), Geoff Cain on bass guitar and Virgil Donati on drums (Taste, Cutters). He was considered too young for that group.

In mid-1990 Thomas, as Jones (on lead guitar), worked alongside Buckle in John Farnham's backing band to record that artist's album, Chain Reaction (September 1990). Jones, on lead vocals and lead guitar, was asked by Buckle to form the Southern Sons, with former the State members: Bowman, Cain and Donati. In April 1991 Buckle explained to Charles Miranda of The Canberra Times that Jones was recruited because "[The State] were going nowhere fast. At this stage [in late 1989] Buckle realised that his songs had potential but his voice didn't".

Southern Sons debut self-titled album was released on 1 June 1990, which peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Their first single, "Heart in Danger", was released in August, it also reached No. 5 on the related ARIA Singles Chart. Jones and Buckle toured Australia and Europe as members of Farnham's backing band to promote Chain Reaction. Southern Sons were a support act on Farnham's tours in 1990 and 1991. The group also undertook their own headlining national tours. Buckle disputed media criticism that Southern Sons "sounded too similar to John Farnham's music", he felt that although "Jack Jones, has a similar voice, they are very different. He believes the Sons guitar work makes for a harder sound." Bowman left the group as a four-piece in mid-1992.

As a member of Southern Sons, Thomas co-wrote some of their later material, including three tracks on their second album, Nothing But the Truth (November 1992), and six of eleven tracks for their third album, Zone (1995). The latter album was co-produced by the band with former member, Bowman. By the end of 1995 the group disbanded.

During the 1990s Thomas worked as a session musician on albums by other artists including Lisa Edwards' Thru the Hoop (June 1993), Debra Byrne's Sleeping Child (July 1994), Phil and Tommy Emmanuel's Terra Firma (April 1995), Bachelor Girl's Waiting for the Day (November 1998), and Farnham's Live at the Regent Theatre 1st July 1999 (1999) as well as touring in Farnham's backing band for the I Can't Believe He's 50 Tour.

In 1996 Thomas and Donati formed a trio, Hong Kong Meeting, with Steve Hunter on bass guitar. Late in the next year Thomas and Donati joined Tina Arena's backing band for her national tour in support of her third solo studio album, In Deep (August 1997). In the following year Thomas formed the Jack Jones Band with Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar (ex-INXS) and Alex Formosa on drums. In March 1998 they performed at the Good Vibrations benefit concert by various artists for Marc Hunter, the ailing lead singer of New Zealand-Australian band, Dragon, who had been diagnosed with throat cancer. Thomas covered the tracks "Are You Old Enough", "Voodoo Chile" and "Both of Me", he also performed a duet with Tommy Emmanuel on "Nothing to Lose". A double-CD and a VHS of the concert, both titled Good Vibrations – A Concert for Marc Hunter, were released in mid-1998. Hunter died in July.

Thomas reverted to his birth name in 2000, working with Ahmet Zappa in Los Angeles, and with Beers. He has released music as a solo artist, first for BMG and then as an independent artist, with The Evolution of Irwin Thomas appearing in 2002. Since 2004 he has also been involved with Melbourne band Electric Mary, and he is also in a band called She Said Yes, led by Tania Doko, the former lead singer of Bachelor Girl.

Private life

Jones was married to New Zealand-born Australian actress Rebecca Gibney from 1992 to 1995, which ended in divorce. In December 1994 Gibney promoted her recent romantic comedy film, Lucky Break; she described her differences from her character, to The Canberra Times' David Bongiorno, "She's so unlike any other character I've played before. She's a woman you love to hate... And there's a part of me in there, because I know I wouldn't let my husband (Jack Jones of Southern Sons) go easily at all!" She explained that the couple had no immediate plans to have children, "I want financial and career security before I become a mum. Only then will I take time off to have kids. And when I do, they'll be my absolute priority."

Album

• The Evolution of Irwin Thomas (2002) Gotham Records

EPs

• Made In China (2007)

Singles

• "Get Up and Get Out of Your Mind" (2002)
• Let's Go (2006)
• Get Your Radio On (2006)
• I Can't Wait [2006)
• Into Trouble (2006)
• Peace Now (2006)
• Disconnected (2009)