Air Supply: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Air Supply

Getty Russell Hitchcock (R) and Graham Russell of Australian-British music duo Air Supply perform onstage.

The band Air Supply has been performing together since 1975. The music duo is made up of Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell; Hitchcock’s powerhouse vocals drive each song’s melody, supported by Russell’s own vocals and guitar playing. Graham Russell is also Air Supply’s songwriter, supplying albums worth of beloved music and lyrics.

Here’s what you need to know about Air Supply:


1. Graham & Russell Met Rehearsing “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Sydney, Australia

Russell and Hitchcock’s careerlong friendship began on May 12, 1975, when they were both cast in the chorus of a Sydney, Australia production of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. According to their website bio, they bonded over a shared love for The Beatles and realized their voices worked well together after singing side-by-side during rehearsals.

The two began performing in coffee shops and clubs late night after Jesus Christ Superstar shows, and stood out for the harmonies they held together while Russell accompanied them on guitar. Once Russell wrote them two original songs, they recorded the demo and eventually caught the attention of CBS records.


2. They Got Their Start Opening for Rod Stewart

According to Air Supply’s website bio, they had the opportunity to open for Rod Stewart in Australia shortly after their first recorded single topped the charts. He brought them with him to open on the US and Canada leg of his tour, which was the first time Air Supply got to play in the United States.

After touring with Stewart, they recorded one of their most famous songs, “Lost in Love,” which made it to top 10 on the charts in Australia and helped them get a record deal with Clive Davis at Arista Records, crossing over into the American market.


3. They Won an American Music Award in 1982

According to IMDB, Air Supply won the American Music Award for “Favorite Duo of Group – Pop/Rock” in 1982. That honor fell on the same year as the release of their third studio album, Now And Forever, which features some of their hits songs such as “Even the Nights Are Better,” “Two Less Lonely People in the World,” and the title song, “Now And Forever.”

In 2013, they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, joining other Australian greats. According to Billboard, Hitchcock was thrilled, saying “It is a great honor for us, and it was something that was totally unexpected. We are certainly excited to come home to Australia and to have fun with everybody and we want to say thank you to all who participated in our ARIA Hall Of Fame induction. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”


4. They Are Still Touring Worldwide Today

Although the duo first formed almost 45 years ago, they are still actively recording music and touring around the world. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune last year, Russell Hitchcock said “We work really hard, actually. We still do about 120 to 130 shows a year all over the world. We’ve always considered ourselves a touring band, and that’s what we do.”

For a list of their upcoming tour dates, click here.


5. One of Their Songs Is Featured in the ‘Deadpool 2’ Soundtrack

Air Supply’s soft rock love songs are known worldwide and have appeared in many film and television soundtracks. Most recently, their song “All Out of Love” was a part of the Deadpool 2 comedic superhero movie, starring Ryan Reynolds as the title character.

Their songs have been featured in countless other well-known Hollywood projects, including The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Dukes of Hazard, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and The Goldbergs.