Australia's Got Talent

16 Year Old Guitar Sensation Smokin' Joe Robinson Wins Australia's Got Talent

16 Year Old Guitar Sensation Smokin' Joe Robinson Wins Australia's Got Talent

Smokin' Joe Robinson, self taught 16 year old guitarist from New South Wales,  has won Australia's Got Talent and the top prize of a quarter of a million dollars!

Judge's Dannii Minogue and Red Symons overruled Tom Burlinson back in the second Semi Final and put Deb 'Spoons' Perry through to the Grand Final. The Australian public made their feelings known back then and voted him through as their choice for the Grand Final. The Australian public spoke loud and clear again tonight voting him their favourite act in the competition and the winner of Australia's Got Talent.

Smokin Joe Robinson and Jourdain were the last two acts remaining after Deb Spoons Perry, Grace Bawden, Aaron Smyth, Shift 1, Mietta and Halls Taekwondo were eliminated from the competition.

Smokin Joe (Joe Robinson) lives in Temagog – a town of less than 200 people just outside of Kempsey New South Wales - with his Mum, Dad, younger brothers Toby, Simon and sister Chloe.

He first played the piano at six and hated it. Moving on to guitar at ten he immediately fell in love with the instrument.  In Year 10 Joe was waking up at 4am everyday to practice guitar until he had to catch the school bus at 7:30am. He'd sleep on the bus for an hour, practice guitar again at recess and lunchtimes and then again for 3-4 hours after school.

Joe knew something had to give if he was truly going to follow his passion, so over 12 months ago he quit school to concentrate on his guitar playing full time.  For the last six years he has taught himself every single note from any avenue he could get his hands on – the internet, loaned instructional videos – and believes he has more of a natural passion for music rather than a natural ear. 

Joe said 'My friends are passionate about different things in their lives too – footy, swimming – but I was always kind of the odd one out as I just loved guitar so so much.  I didn't go out with my mates on weekends as I was busy playing gigs or travelling to watch gigs; 100 per cent committed to learning more'

'Guys like Tommy and Phil Emmanual have taken me under their wings a bit. They are my absolute heroes. I feel very fortunate to have even shared a stage with them'  Joe said

'To win this competition is truly incredible. It justifies and validates the path I have chosen.  Australia's Got Talent is pretty much the only variety show on the telly at the moment and it has enabled me to be able to get the music of the Emmanuals to a new audience – a new generation – and I feel really strongly about that. They are amongst the greatest players in the world, but they're not rich guys.  They've devoted their lives to making and playing music more accessible to people like me'.

Music runs in the Robinson family with Joe's mum Kathy a drummer in bands while pregnant with him and his Dad plays the banjo. 

Joe's Mum Kathy said ‘Everything up until now is a result of Joe's hard work. We've never really bought him anything. He's had to work hard and pay for everything to help him along the way.  He's a great example of if you follow your dreams and do something you are absolutely passionate about everything else falls in to place.  We just couldn't be prouder of him'.

Money from gigs and busking over the last 12 months has paid for a ticket for Joe to travel to Nashville to record an album of originals, which Joe's hard work is also financing.  He has also bought his Mum a ticket to join him.  He plans to invest his unexpected $250,000 Australia's Got Talent prize money in to real estate and buy his Mum 'a brand new schmick vacuum cleaner' after hers broke a few months ago.

51 Comments
1. piccola_tesora91 - Jul 01 08:38pm
Wohooooooooo go Jo!
2. tutti_fruttimum - Jul 01 08:45pm
Congratulations Joe, I've never voted for any new act on TV till I saw you play on Australia's Got Talent. We were jumping for joy for you! Fantastic! from Melbourne!
3. timofred - Jul 01 08:48pm
Saw Joe at a local club recently and knew straight away he would win.
Congratulations Joe. Cheers Timo.
4. beautiful_intellect01 - Jul 01 08:49pm
wooh i love jo wat a cutie lol hes a mums boy too
5. claremd12345 - Jul 01 08:53pm
yay soo glad grace or mietta didnt win

well done :D
6. letsdance_59 - Jul 01 09:18pm
Congratulations Joe, the Macleay Valley are so very proud of you. Good luck in your next adventure, I know that you have the ability to go all the way in your chosen career. I saw you play with Steve and Amos the other week, boy you have oodles of talent, WELL DONE.
7. anna.ruediger - Jul 01 09:24pm
yay i screamed when smokin joe won!
i was voting for him right from the start!
joe you are the world's biggest champ. you have an incredible talent and such a fantastic personality!
if you ever need someone to play piano for you when you're famous, please give me a call. :D

xo
8. azza_hill - Jul 01 09:28pm
Congratulations Joe you were the best. I don't normally vote on these shows, but you were fantastic. Good luck for the future. You are a star.
9. fiery3352 - Jul 01 09:39pm
good on ya jo
UR SO HOT!!!!!!

from katie 11 ballarat victoria
10. corey.sclater - Jul 01 09:41pm
Congratulations Joe you followed your dreams and you won!
What an inspiration you are to the young people of today,
I wish you all the very best.
From a Sydney Mum.
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