It's probably a stretch to say the lockdown turned Jane Barnes into a rock star, but it certainly brought Jimmy Barnes's better half into our lives.
Jimmy and Jane Barnes, along with their friends and family and whoever might have stopped by their Southern Highlands property, began nightly sessions over Facebook singing a wide range of songs, to not only while away the time but bring comfort and familiarity into the homes of everyone who was missing social contact.
As Jane sums it up: "We did it LoFi, with an iPhone, not with any intention to get feedback, just to connect with ourselves, and friends and family, and any fans out there who were feeling a bit isolated, too."
They covered everything from Otis Redding to Doris Day and Dolly Parton, Cold Chisel to John Denver and Glen Campbell and Leonard Cohen to The Beatles, learning hundreds of songs.
The band
Now, to keep that spirit alive, the family is taking the show on the road, touring as The Jane Barnes Band. It features Jimmy Barnes, Mahalia Barnes, Ben Rodgers, Jackie Barnes, Lachy Doley, Danny Spencer - and, of course, Jane Barnes.
And probably special guests, such as their daughters Elly-May and EJ.
Jane Barnes, who celebrates 40 years as Jimmy's wife on May 22, has come to the fore of the band, while readily admitting she's not the most talented family member.
"They've been very patient with me," she says in a good-natured interview. "They have been really encouraging and patient. That's just the nature of this family.
"I probably irritate them more than anything. Because they have all taught me, you know, 'mum why don't you try it like this?', 'why don't we do this song' ... 'this song might be a little bit beyond your reach at the moment'. It's been amazing how every member negotiated this change."
She credits Mark Lizotte (Diesel), who is married to her sister Jep, with putting an instrument in her hands.
"He set up a guitar for me," she says. "He set it up so it was easy to learn and play it. When you start learning a guitar, the problem is your fingers get blistered. But if the guitar is set up gently for you, you can enjoy it more, get through the pain."
But don't expect any solos from her. With Jimmy and Mahalia on hand, she'll be lucky to get her voice heard ("As you can imagine, I will need audience help. Audience participation is welcome," she says.)
The tour covers venues in Bowral, Milton and Gundaroo, as well as Lizotte's in Newcastle. The setlist is still up in the air, Jane says.
"They are very bossy and controlling," she jokes about her band members. "It's a democratic process. We put out about 500 songs. So it's a big list. And it's taking its time.
"They are some obvious ones we have to do. Jimmy, him being there, we'll have to ask for some classics, some Cold Chisel. Mahalia is such a powerhouse. She has a huge repertoire.
"We just have to pick our favourite songs, out of the whole 500."
The pandemic effect
The pandemic was a game-changer, Barnes readily agrees.
"I think the world has changed," she says. "The world has changed. We all change as a part of life. I have more time to connect with people, and to connect with the kids this way ... so it's an opportunity for us to take it out of the living room, to do shows.
"Jimmy, it's not easy for him, he doesn't normally do small shows, or intimate shows. Both him and Mahalia, they do much bigger shows. So this is a nice, different way to connect to a different audience."
Our telephone interview occurs while Jane is in Sydney at the family's music studio. While she is not recording at the moment, she says somebody in the family usually is, as music is in their blood, it's their lifestyle.
Joking about the upcoming tour of the Jane Barnes Band, the notion it's for money is tossed aside without discussion.
"It's for a lot of reasons. The main reason, when I'm with family, I'm surrounded by musicians, they live and breathe music. They have so much music coming in, they have to have it coming out. And we've got the time.
"Jimmy is recovering from hip surgery, he's dying to get out there to sing ... he lives for that.
"And I just want the opportunity to relate to people who are so special in my life and actually work with them. Not just be raising them, not just be the mum. Enjoy this new stage of our life.
"To get to this stage, and have your children and family as your favourite people, to share life with, is just, you know, I think you've made it. I think that's what life's about."
