Quirk, in turn, left in 2002 to pursue a career with his band Quirk. Andrew Fry joined as the next bass player.
The success of Three led to its release in the US in 2002 and two tours of the US followed.
In April 2001, the John Butler Trio released Three and relocated to Melbourne to promote the record on the east coast. The track “Betterman” was on high rotation by Triple J. Three peaked at No. 24 on the ARIA Charts . It also remained on the alternative charts for nine…
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“Betterman” reached No. 5 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2001 .
At the ARIA Music Awards of 2001 the album won an award for ‘Best Independent Release’.
Butler replaced him with 19-year-old Rory Quirk, who was on their first tour of the United States in 2001.
The John Butler Trio released a four-track extended play, JBT , in April 2000 with songs short enough to win radio play. It was produced by Butler and Shaun O’Callaghan. Radio station Triple J chose the track “Pickapart” to put on high rotation.
The band began to develop a wider reputation with a performance at the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival in Byron Bay in 2000. Butler recalled that his first gig had about 50 people, the second gig started the same way when “it absolutely pissed with rain and 3000…
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The trio toured throughout Western Australia in 1999, then The Waifs invited Butler to perform solo on their Australian tour – he also performed his own gigs. The John Butler Trio then launched their own tour where Butler met his future wife Danielle Caruana in Broome .
With Butler, Shoesmith and Jason McGann on drums, John Butler Trio was formed in Fremantle in 1998 and independently released the John Butler album in December. It was produced by Butler and included re-recorded versions of two tracks from his Searching for Heritage .