The new member of Jimmy's clan is an instant hit.

 

Screaming her little lungs out, Ruby Jane Rodgers doesn't yet realise she's rock royalty - although grandad Jimmy Barnes is already saying, ‘What a voice!'

The baby of acclaimed singer Mahalia Barnes and Ben Rodgers, who plays bass in Jimmy's band, is the latest in a musical dynasty.

Ruby made her big entrance by caesarean on September 18 - right on her due date - weighing 3.66kg and measuring 52cm.

‘I would've preferred a natural birth, but we had to do what was best for the baby,' smiles Mahalia, 27. ‘Ruby was in a posterior position and she was struggling a little, so she had to come out fast.'

Softly spoken Ben, 26, marvels, ‘Ten minutes later, she was in our arms. She was a bit restless, so we played Midnight Train To Georgia and it calmed her immediately. She's got good taste in music.'

And according to Cold Chisel legend Jimmy and his wife Jane, Ruby's the image of Mahalia when she was a baby - right down to her crop of lush black hair.

 

Where did Ruby's name come from?

Mahalia: We had a few ideas, but we waited until we saw her before we really decided. Both of us like the name Ruby, which is also one of our favourite Ray Charles songs. And, she's called Jane after my mum.

 

Do you sing her lullabies?

Jimmy: Mahalia and I aren't made for lullabies. At this stage of our careers, we might have to develop that side of our repertoire.

Ben: We sing Ruby to her every day. The other night she was restless and crying, so I played her Working Class Man and she fell asleep straight away.

 

How was the pregnancy?

Mahalia: Really easy, to be honest. I didn't have any morning sickness. I can't really complain, although by the last month I was looking forward to being able to put my shoes on with ease.

 

Did you have any weird cravings?

Mahalia: Both sides of the family are foodies, so we always have food cravings.

Ben: I had more cravings than Mahalia, for chocolate and sugar.

Mahalia: I don't think that was anything out of the ordinary! We like good food. Obviously it runs in the family because Ruby eats like a champion.

 

Is Ruby well-behaved?

Mahalia: She's quite calm and she likes to eat and sleep, which is a good thing. I'd like to do the same. Everybody's in love with her. If I do say so myself, we did a good job, she's pretty gorgeous.

Ben: She looks like her mum.

 

What have you learnt from your own mum and dad?

Mahalia: Everything! As you can see, they both love babies. They were great parents and are going to be amazing grandparents, although I think Ruby's going to be very spoilt. I don't think we're going to get much time with her. Mum and Dad are already bent on kidnapping her.

Ben: My mum has brothers and she has three sons, so Ruby is the first girl on her side of the family for years. Mum walked in, saw Ruby and burst into tears. She calls every day to see how ‘her girl' is.

Is Mahalia a good mother?

Ben: My friends say, ‘Man, you're so young to be a father; you must be nervous.' How can I freak out? I have Mahalia. If she can look after me, she can look after anybody.

Mahalia: Being the oldest of the family, I've always been surrounded by babies. It's not foreign to me to change nappies. And for someone who loves 12 hours' sleep, Ben's been very good about getting up every couple of hours. He can calm Ruby better than anyone. She adores him.

Ben: The feeling's mutual.

 

What parenting advice have you given?

Jimmy: Sleep when you can, and just enjoy the moment. Mahalia and Ben sit and look at the baby for hours thinking, ‘Wow, we made this.' That's a great feeling.

 

And what's it like being grandparents?

Jimmy: It's a beautiful thing. Ruby's a gorgeous baby and she looks just like Mahalia did. Obviously, a lot of memories came flooding back. It's like the whole world starts over again.

Jane: It's wonderful. We're totally in love and Ruby's the new boss of everything. I've had a couple of nights with her and she's really placid. She's amazing; we can't stop staring at her.

 

Is it a different kind of love?

Jimmy: It's not that the love is different, but you're looking at it more from the outside so you appreciate it more. When your own kids are born you're so involved with learning about being a parent, especially with the first, that you're stressed and worried. There are certain things you miss because you're so busy feeding and changing. We can take it all in now. It's beautiful.

 

During your hellraising days, did you ever dream you'd be a grandad?

Jimmy: It's something I've looked forward to ever since I had children. I always wanted to see their lives come to fruition as parents and as people. I think Mahalia's ready to be a great mum. She grew up mothering us - and her siblings - so she's a natural.

 

How do you help keep Ruby amused?

Jimmy: I tell her all the places I'm going to take her: scuba diving in the Maldives, shopping in Paris, the Russian Tea Room in New York, sun-baking in Bora Bora. That's when I'll kidnap her.

 

Do you think she'll be a singer too?

Mahalia: She's got a loud voice. I was still gigging two weeks before she was born, so if conditioning in the womb has anything to do with it, she'll grow up loving soul and rock music. The louder the better!

Ben: She's got my hands, so if she can play an instrument and sing like you, I'll be out of a job...

Jimmy: Genetics is funny. She may grow up to be a lawyer.

 

Will you get married?

Mahalia: We're in the process of planning our wedding for next year.

Ben: We'll have to have two to fit in all the family and friends!

 

By Jenny Brown