If you hear about a family band from Australia called Uncle Jed, you might not give it a second thought.
But this group of three family members had jaws dropping and judges amazed during their 2013 audition.
The band looked straightforward enough, three members between the ages of 26 and 29.
There is Danny, Laura, and Shannon Stitt. Danny and Shannon are brothers, and Laura is their cousin. The three have been playing music and singing together since they were about 16 years old.
They took the stage and explained their name: they’re called Uncle Jed after their #1 fan, Laura’s father — hence, Danny’s and Shannon’s Uncle Jed.
But the moment they started performing, they had the audience cheering.
At one point, one of the judges even exclaimed, “Wow!” Another one yelled, “Unbelievable!” over the sound of the music.
Their audition song was “Brother” by Matt Corby. This particular song requires a voice with both range and control.
Lead singer Laura’s vocals are haunting and sweet, but also versatile and powerful.
It’s a totally unique sound that had people cheering and screaming.
When the group finished their song, the audience leaped to its feet to give them a standing ovation. Even the judges followed, applauding and cheering.
“I have, for the first time in the entire audition, goosebumps from head to toe,” said judge Kyle Sandilands. “I feel like an idiot ‘cause I feel like crying or something. That was absolutely beautiful.”
The judges also said they loved watching the dynamic of the group.
It was obvious the three family members were very close and felt connected by both their relationship and their love of music.
Not surprisingly, the beautiful performance earned four yeses, sending the group on to the next round of auditions.
It also didn’t come as a surprise when Uncle Jed won the entire competition of Australia’s Got Talent’s seventh season. In the six years since then, they haven’t been idle. Not only did they win the show with a grand prize of $250,000, but they also released three chart-topping singles: “Brother”, Ed Sheeran’s “Give Me Love”, and Pink’s “Just Give Me a Reason.” They even released a Christmas album and an extended play album of seven songs under the name Luna Grande.
“Yeah, you guys created a moment that I’m very thankful that I’m a part of,” said judge Timomatic.
Nowadays, the trio continues to play, still united by their bond through both family and music.
Their YouTube channel describes them as a reggae, funk, and jazz band that also performs covers. Although they might not be widely known through most of the world, they’re still beloved in Australia. Three of their covers stayed on Australia’s top 100. Though their victory on Australia’s Got Talent was six years ago, they remain the group that moved people to tears and gave them goosebumps. They’re sure to have more great things in store.
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