Campbells take USA by storm with sokkie and country hits

15 Oct 23 | Profiles

South Africa’s own cowboy sokkie and country kings, Harry and Tony Campbell, moved to the United States in September 2022 and are playing at festivals and creating music for an international market. Saffa Mag caught up with them shortly before their headline performance at this year’s Texas Potjie Festival held at KOA Lake Conroe in Montgomery Texas.

No sokkie is complete if you have not played The Campbells’ hit songs like Rooi Rok Bokkie, Bietjie Bietjie Lam and Hillbilly Rock. Having always loved country music, the brothers used to love their visits to America, home of country music. During one of their visits to the USA in 2018, the brothers decided to get visas to tour and consulted with their attorney Karen Pollak on how to obtain permanent residency.

When they successfully received green cards they made the move. “We are in Dallas, Texas, but will be moving to Charlotte, in the next few months. The transition has been rapid, and it mostly feels like a swim or sink situation, but we have luckily managed to keep our heads above water,” says Tony.

Their music has always appealed to both English and Afrikaans audiences and not much has changed as they still get to perform to a mix of audiences, especially when entertaining at Saffa events. “We have performed at a number of festivals that have been fantastic. There is always a good atmosphere and it offers a real opportunity to reconnect with SA culture. Richmond hosts an annual Braai Festival which has grown to over 500 visitors, and near Houston we have the famous Texas Potjie. Since we have been involved with these festivals there have been many enquiries to start up additional events around the US where we will be directly involved. As an example, I’d like to invite everyone out to the first ever Charleston South African Festival on September 22 and 23,” Tony explaines.

With a fully rigged tour bus and sound system capable of catering to an audience of more than 1 000 people, The Campbells are becoming sought after entertainment. Tony and Harry have, furthermore, started with the process of writing more original English content which will appeal to a global market. While they have not been back to South Africa to perform, they will be going to Germany, Switzerland and Canada before the end of 2023.

Having only been in the US for a year, The Campbells have not really missed their home country because almost all their direct family have visited them since their move. “With modern technology and good internet, we can keep things together. Being in America has given us a sense of freedom and opportunity, and while we have challenges, it is certainly a wonderful place to call home,” Tony explains.

The brothers grew up in Cape Town with an English-speaking father, Harry senior, and their Afrikaans mother, Sandra, who grew up in Pretoria. She encouraged them to remain bilingual and, in their music career, it proved to be very valuable. Their first experience in performing was playing in a high school band and Tony says it earned them a reasonable amount of pocket money. Doing this, the brothers realised they might have a shot at making it big in the industry and officially became a duo in 1995. Their audiences grew every year, but when they met Kosie van Niekerk, owner of Select Music in 1999, their career catapulted in a new direction.

Kosie wanted to record material for his record label and in 2 000 proceeded to sign the Campbells as artists and released their debut album You’re My Mate during 2001. When they hit the Afrikaans market with their second album Rooi Rok Bokkie commercial success struck with more than 100,000 CD sales. In 2003 the Campbells became a household name and were the most successful touring act of the year, with more the 200 live performances, 60 flights and 180 000km of road travel in a calendar year.

The album Jy’s Die Girl was released in 2003 and was predictably another huge success, but their 2004 release Daar’s Iets Innie Water rocked the South African music industry with the massive hit Bietjie Bietjie Lam. Once again The Campbells surpassed album sales of more than 100 000 units and became one of a handful of South African artists to have two double platinum selling albums.

The rest is history and in 2010 the Campbells won a SAMA (South African Music Award) with their album Mamma Maria for the Best Sokkie Dans Album. They have also won three VAMT awards as well as 16 Gold, seven Platinum, three Triple Gold and two Double Platinum sales awards. In 2012 they started their own record label, Campbell Records, and subsequently released the albums Voet In Die Hoek, Fanta & Cola, Homegrown Country, Bloed Is Dikker As Water and Mega Medleys.

The Campbells have shared the stage with South African superstars such as Steve Hofmeyr, Kurt Darren, Snotkop, Demi Lee Moore, Theuns Jordaan, Gerhard Steyn, and also collaborated with the likes of Juanita du Plessis, CH2, Jacques de Coning, Fredi Nest and Cordelia. Over the years, The Campbells have performed in Germany, Switzerland, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Their music and videos are readily available on major platforms such as Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music and Amazon Music. Twenty albums, four EPs and eight DVDs later, The Campbells have established themselves as South Africa’s favourite music group and have sold more than 1 000 000 CDs and DVDs. Their most popular songs have been remixed for today’s audience and it is no surprise that they have now surpassed 100 000 000 digital streams and views across all online platforms.

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