Tamworth Regional Council and the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) today announced the finalists for the 2018 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards - the 46th Country Music Awards of Australia.
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At a star-studded event at ABC Studios in Sydney, this morning hosts Adam Eckersley and Brooke McClymont helped reveal the finalists in all categories, including the new Album of the Year categories – Contemporary Country Album of the Year and Traditional Country Album of the Year – which along with the Alt Country Album of the Year, will see the winners from these categories vie for the overall Country Music Album of the Year award to be announced in Tamworth in January.
With the many different styles and genres of country music being performed and enjoyed today, the decision to introduce new Album of the Year categories ensures the album awards are more inclusive, and creates further opportunities to welcome more artists who work in country music into the Awards,” Mr. Dobe Newton, Chairman of the Country Music Association of Australia said.
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“The finalists in the 2018 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards are testaments to this and today’s finalists’ announcement has demonstrated the quality and depth of talent we have in Australian country music across a range of genres, with many artists receiving their first nomination and others multiple nominations. The event has certainly set the stage for an incredible showcase in Tamworth on January 27 when we announce the winners.
Leading the charge with six finalist places each is Kasey Chambers, The McClymonts, and Travis Collins & Amber Lawrence.
Off the back of her ARIA nomination for Best Country Album with her album Dragonfly, Chambers is contending for ALT COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR, APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR (Satellite), CMC VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR (Satellite), SINGLE OF THE YEAR (Satellite) and REGIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR for her song Hey with Paul Kelly.
The McClymonts will be vying for CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR with their #1 ARIA Country chart album Endless, as well as COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR, REGIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR (When We Say It’s Forever with Ronan Keating), APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR (Don’t Wish It All Away), CMC VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR (Don’t Wish It All Away), and SINGLE OF THE YEAR (House).
Collaborating on an album for the first time together, Travis Collins & Amber Lawrence are celebrating their six finalist places with Our Backyard featuring in the CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, TOYOTA HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR, REGIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR, APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR, CMC VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR, and SINGLE OF THE YEAR categories.
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The Bushwackers Australia’s premier bush/folk/country band, have come away with five finalist spots with their album The Hungry Mile including TRADITIONAL COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR, TOYOTA HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR (Dirt Under My Nails), COCA-COLA INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR (Easy Does It), and REGIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR for their song Waltzing Australia with John Williamson, Sara Storer & The Bush Choir.
With four finalist places apiece is Lee Kernaghan, Shane Nicholson, and The Davidson Brothers. Kernaghan will be looking to add to his Golden Guitar Award tally with his song Outback Club Reunion competing in TOYOTA HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR and APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR. His music video for Damn Good Mates is a contender for CMC VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR and his collaboration with James Blundell Back in 92’ is up for REGIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR.
Nicholson’s album Love and Blood and featured single Safe is up for ALT COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR, APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR, and SINGLE OF THE YEAR. The Davidson Brothers (All You Need Is Music) will vie for TRADITIONAL COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR, COCA-COLA INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR (Evelyn’s Kitchen), and BLUEGRASS RECORDING OF THE YEAR (Back Where I Started).
After taking out the new talent award in 2017 it was an exciting day for rising star Fanny Lumsden, who is in the running for three Awards with her album Real Class Act. Lumsden will contend for ALT COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR, and TOYOTA HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR (Roll On).
Newcomer Brad Butcher has also been named as finalist for three Awards ALT COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR (From The Bottom of A Well), MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR and QANTASLINK NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR.
Adam Brand, Ashleigh Dallas, O’Shea, Tania Kernaghan, Darren Coggan, Matt Cornell and Tom Curtain have each landed two finalist berths. And rounding out the finalists with a single place each is Gretta Ziller, Drew McAlister, Aleyce Simmonds, Carter & Carter, Dale Duncan, Dean Perrett, Dianne Lindsay, Graham Rodger, Ian Quinn, Michael Fix, Mickey Pye, Tommy Emmanuel, Carpenter Caswell, Runaway Dixie, The Morrisons, Wide Island, Casey Barnes, Judah Kelly, Small Town Romance and Morgan Evans.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the NSW Government was proud to support such a renowned regional event.
“The Tamworth Country Music Festival is recognised world-wide, attracting significant overnight visitation to the State and delivering importat economic and community benefits,” Mr Marshall said.
“It’s an absolute standout on our NSW Events Calendar and we look forward to welcoming the many artists and visitors to the region next year for 10 days of great entertainment and regional NSW hospitality.
“Congratulations to all of the finalists announced today for the 2018 Golden Guitar Awards, the most prestigious award ceremony for the Australian country music industry.”
Commencing in 1973, the Awards are the nation’s longest running music awards and play a vital role in developing and promoting Australian country music talent. The Toyota Golden Guitar Awards is the pinnacle event of the Toyota Country Music Festival in Tamworth and with a theme, in 2018, that celebrates the strong collaborative nature of country music, the night promises to be a jam-packed evening of non-stop entertainment. For the second year running fans can catch all the action LIVE via Facebook LIVE.
The Toyota Country Music Festival will be held from Friday 19 to Sunday 28 January 2018 with the 46th Toyota Golden Guitar Awards on Saturday 27 January 2018 at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre. Tickets are on sale now and available from www.tcmf.com.au.
The Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Stay tuned for updates on the announcers, musical performances, special guests and the latest Toyota Golden Guitar Awards news in the coming weeks.
The 46th Country Music Awards of Australia – the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards are proudly supported by Toyota, the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, APRA AMCOS, Country Music Capital News, QANTASLINK, Regional Australia Bank, Coca-Cola and the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA).
