Apr 14, 2019 3 min read

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By Kristin Emery

How can a friendship and partnership last 44 years without any major arguments? Just ask Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock, the musical duo better known as Air Supply.

“We’ve kind of been through everything – ups and downs and valleys and crests,” says Russell, who serves as songwriter for the duo. “We’re such great friends. In fact, we’ve never had an argument in our career.”

The pair began their collaboration in 1975 in their native Sydney, Australia, and still play 130 shows a year.

“We’re great friends and we feel very fortunate and lucky to be able to do what we do,” Russell says. “Playing live, we just love it to death and we keep doing it because we love it so much. We feel great. We’re both very fit and we just want to keep doing it as long as we can.”

Air Supply is known for their unique sound of one guitar, two voices and great harmonies.

“The great thing with Russell and me is we both play different roles within the band,” says Russell. “I’m the songwriter that sings and Russell is the lead singer that doesn’t write songs. It’s a perfect scenario for us. That’s my main function – to provide the songs and Russell just wants to sing and he does that with such grace and ability.”

Once their first hit single shot to number one on the Australian charts, Air Supply began touring with Rod Stewart. Their next record included the single “Lost in Love,” which went top 10 in Australia and became the fastest selling single in the world in 1980. The second single was “All Out of Love,” and that went up the charts even more quickly. By 1988, the duo was so popular that they were invited to play for Prince Charles and Princess Diana during Australia’s bicentennial celebration.

Through the years, they’ve penned new music, performed for fans around the world and embarked on new projects, including an Air Supply musical touring Asia and a newly-released live album recorded with the Prague Symphony.

“We have a lot of things happening all the time,” Russell says. “We’re always busy, which is wonderful. It keeps us active and busy and it keeps us young.”

Russell says they’ve stayed true to their musical style through the years. “When an Air Supply track comes on and Russell sings, you know who it is and that’s still the same,” he says. “We have to be who we are. We don’t want to be fake in any way. We’re very romantic and passionate people and our songs reflect that. Russell’s vocals reflect that and the songs have my stamp on them. I think that’s impossible to not hear or to not see when you see us live.”

Fans coming to The Meadows show can expect both old favorites and new songs.

“A long time ago, we said we’ll stop playing when the people stop coming to see us and I don’t see that happening anytime soon,” Russell says. “So we’re just in a great place in our career, we love every minute of it. We’re very passionate about it.”