James Johnston launched into CMC Rocks day one in style, inviting his idol and Australian country music legend Lee Kernaghan on stage with him on Friday (20 March).
As the surprise guest, Kernaghan joined Johnston for performances of his ‘90s classic, Boys From The Bush, and the pair’s 2024 collaboration, Who I Am.
In addition to the surprise performance, Johnston was in a storytelling mood, telling thousands of punters about how he met Kernaghan when he was a ten-year-old busker. He then showed the poster that Kernaghan signed for him all those years ago, telling him he’d be a musical success.
Until more footage surfaces, check out snippets from the performance on Johnston’s Instagram Stories.
Towards the end of his set, Johnston impressed (and horrified) fans when he did a real shoey, drinking Bundaberg and Coke from the boot he was wearing.
Johnston’s CMC Rocks set took place just a day after releasing his new single, DO YOU PLAY ANY COUNTRY, and followed his impressive wins at this year’s Countrytown Awards, where he took home four awards voted for by fans.
“Four nominations and four @countrytown_aufan-votedd awards…bloody unreal!” Johnston wrote on social media, also sharing photos from the big day.
He continued, “However, this is all thanks to you all. The fans, the true MVPs. Every stream, every ticket, every share, every message, every show, you’ve supported me and my musical journey from the very beginning, and I’ll never take that for granted.
“This is a win for all of us. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being a part of the team.”
CMC Rocks continues today and tomorrow (22 March) at the Willowbank Raceway in Ipswich, Queensland. Headlined by Jordan Davis, Old Dominion, and Riley Green, the line-up features an abundance of international and homegrown talent.
Other acts performing at this year’s festival include Carly Pearce, Tucker Wetmore, Casey Barnes, Alexandra Kay, Dasha, Lauren Watkins, Wade Forster, Jake Worthington, Sara Berki, Hayley Jensen, Robbie Mortimer, and many more.
Do you have tickets to this year’s festival? Check out Countrytown’s guide to everything you need to know about CMC Rocks 2026 here.
Countrytown brings you Australia’s best country music news, interviews, charts and more every week! This post was authored by Countrytown and originally published on the Countrytown website. It has been re-published with permission.
