The French Family Band

Country music just sounds better when a family sings it. That’s where it all began: mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, all huddled together, picking and singing on a porch in the twilight. That’s why when The French Family launch into the bittersweet ache of a classic or the startling tenderness of one of their self-penned original songs, the hairs on country music loving necks stand up, and we instinctively––sometimes tearfully––recognize this father, mother, and son as the real thing.

Touring over the last almost 20 years as Camille and Stuie, the duo became beloved in Australia. They earned three Australian Golden Guitar Awards––that country’s equivalent to the CMAs. The Golden Guitars have recognized both their singing and playing: In 2013, the couple earned their first trophy together for Best Alternative Country Album of the Year, while in 2017, Stuie received Best Instrumental Album honors for his stunning Axe to Swing. Now as the French Family Band they earned their first Golden Guitar Award for Instrumental of the Year from their album "Me and Dad". Their highlights include being invited to perform with Les Paul at his weekly jam in New York in 2008, and Tommy Emmanuel inviting Stuie to work as a tutor at his Guitar Camps in both Sydney and Nashville.

Camille and Stuie together with their three children moved to Nashville in June 2019. A few months after they arrived, the pandemic started so they began playing Facebook Live Concerts from their lounge room, thinking these would happen for a few short months. Two years on the lounge room shows are still going strong and they have grown their online presence significantly. Their Facebook following grew from 7.5k to 124k and they’ve had almost 10 million views on Youtube alone and they now have fans all over the world.

Gibson Guitars invited Sonny to be a part of an international mix of promising young musicians dubbed the “Gibson Generation Group” which he graduated from in 2021 and continues to be an endorsee. Sonny also appeared on the Australian TV show “Little Big Shots” in 2018.

In 2022 The French Family Band were featured in a National Holiday Season television campaign for the JC Penney Department store chain. This year is off to a great start with the Golden Guitar Award and an invite to debut on the Grand Ole Opry this spring.

“Stuie and Sonny French have invaded Nashville with the best country guitar playing the town has heard in years. Every time l talk to Stuie l tell him “that he is the best country music guitar player in the world.” He is my favorite. The heartfelt beauty and language of that style of playing is in the best of hands with the French boys. From the dastardly skill of The Texas Troubadours Honey Fingers, sizzling Bakersfield shuffles, the prettiest of ballads or their own original pieces, Stuie and Sonny French have the lights on bright at their house. As well they should because they have it going on in a mighty big way with plenty more to come l’m sure. I’m looking forward to every bit of it” - MARTY STUART