Irwin Thomas
| Irwin Thomas | |
|---|---|
Thomas with Electric Mary, Anzac Day, 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Irwin Thomas Whittridge |
| Also known as | Jack Jones |
| Born |
6 January 1971 Manhattan, New York, United States |
| Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | |
| Website | irwinthomas |
Irwin Thomas (born Irwin Thomas Whittridge, 6 January 1971) is an US-born 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".
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