JoKeria is the country music duo born from the long-standing friendship and shared roots of Josh Philpot and Kendall Smith, two Roebourne raised musicians whose connection runs deeper than music. After years of playing together in a local cover band, they officially formed JoKeria in 2016, Josh Kendall Roebourne Independent Artists, marking the beginning of a journey that has taken them from the red dust of the Pilbara to national recognition across Australia.

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Both artists proudly call Roebourne (Yirramagardu) home, on Ngarluma Country in the remote Pilbara region of North Western Australia. Josh, originally from Melbourne, moved to Roebourne at age 11, while Kendall was born in nearby Wickham and raised on Mingullatharndo Aboriginal Community, just east of town. Their families attended the same church, they went to the same high school, and both spent years working in the surrounding mining industry. Music was always part of their lives — out here, country music is culture, community, and identity.

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Early Breakthrough

Their first major opportunity came when Alan Pigram of The Pigram Brothers heard a demo of songs they had written over the years. Impressed, he invited them to record their debut album Back No More at his Broome studio. The album featured deeply personal tracks including Stockman Renown, written by Kendall at just 13, and Culture Child, which became a finalist in the 2017 WAM Song of the Year Awards (Outstanding Indigenous category).

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The project also caught the attention of Grammy-winning pedal steel legend Lucky Oceans, who played on four tracks and passed their music on to Australian country icon Bill Chambers, saying: “I worked with these boys out here in the west and they are playing a brand of country music you might want to hear.”

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Bill reached out, inviting JoKeria to perform at his annual show at The Pub during the 2018 Tamworth Country Music Festival. The duo packed into a 12‑seat rental van and drove 5,000km across the country, an early sign of their dedication and grit.

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Red Country & Rising Recognition

In 2019, Bill Chambers produced their second album Red Country in Sydney, with mastering by Jeff McCormack and contributions from some of Australia’s finest session musicians. The album earned JoKeria three finalist nominations at the 2019 WA NAIDOC Music Awards and another WAM Song of the Year finalist placement in 2020 for Ballad of Uncle Thomas.

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Just as momentum was building, the COVID‑19 pandemic brought everything to a halt. With tours cancelled and live shows gone, the duo faced a difficult period but chose to keep writing, recording and preparing for the future.

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Northwest of Nowhere & National Chart Success

In 2023, JoKeria reunited with Bill Chambers and Lucky Oceans to record their third studio album at Crank Recording in Perth with engineer Lee Buddle, marking their first step into co‑production.

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The year became a breakthrough. They debuted at the Boyup Brook Country Music Festival, were finalists for Country Duo/Group of the Year at the WA Country Music Awards and released a string of charting singles:

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• Forgotten Town – Their first Top 10 on the Tasmanian & Oz CMR Charts

• Without You (feat. Sally Jane) – Their first #1 National Airplay hit

• No Place For Slim – Their second National #1, four weeks at the top and #1 on multiple charts

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Their third album, Northwest of Nowhere, arrived in September 2023, showcasing their strongest songwriting and storytelling to date.

 

 

Awards, Momentum & New Horizons

In 2024, JoKeria’s success continued with No Place For Slim winning Traditional/Heritage Single of the Year at the WA Country Music Awards, alongside finalist nominations for Group/Duo of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year. Their next single, Another Neon Bar, achieved Top 10 positions across four charts, proving their growing national presence.

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By 2025, JoKeria had firmly established themselves as one of Western Australia’s most exciting country acts, artists with a clear upward trajectory.

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A Decade of JoKeria – What’s Next

As 2027 marks JoKeria’s 10‑year anniversary, the duo enters a new era of creativity and ambition. With a brand‑new single, How Bout Now, set for release, and three more singles plus their fourth studio album arriving next year, JoKeria is gearing up for their biggest chapter yet.

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From the Pilbara to the national stage, their story is one of resilience, culture, and country music carved from red dirt and real life. Ten years on, JoKeria continues to rise.