First performers announced for 45th Annual Country Music Awards of Australia - the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards, Saturday 28 January 2017
13 January 2017
Australia’s biggest celebration of country music happens in Tamworth in January each year and 2017 will be no exception with the Country Music Association of Australia and the Tamworth Regional Council today announcing the first performers for the 45th annual Country Music Awards of Australia – the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards.
Hosted by multi- Golden Guitar Award winners, Adam Harvey and Felicity Urquhart the Awards will celebrate the best of Australian country music in 2016 and take a look at some of the new music to hit the charts in 2017.
Harvey with an impressive eight Awards to his name, has sold over half a million albums and Urquhart with four Awards is host of long-standing national country music radio show Saturday Night Country. In addition to her hosting duties, Urquhart will also perform on the night alongside Kevin Bennett and Lyn Bowtell as Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart. The trio have been nominated for five awards in total including ALTERNATIVE COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR, TOYOTA HERTIAGE SONG OF THE YEAR (Goulburn Valley Woman), BLUEGRASS RECORDING OF THE YEAR song, (I Hear Them All) and APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR (Goulburn Valley Woman).
Fans will also be treated to performances by Kasey Chambers, Troy Cassar-Daley, Sara Storer, Travis Collins, The Wolfe Brothers, Luke O’Shea and Kristy Cox – all of whom are top contenders for Awards on the night. Chambers is up for three awards APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR, CMC VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR and SINGLE OF THE YEAR, while Cassar-Daley’s nominations include ALBUM OF THE YEAR (Things I Carry Around) and MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR. Storer leads the female finalists with six nominations including ALBUM OF THE YEAR, FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR, REGIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR, BUSH BALLAD OF THE YEAR, APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR and TOYOTA HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR. And Collins’ leads the male finalists with six nominations, he is up for ALBUM OF THE YEAR and MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR, TOYOTA HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR (Hometown Calling), CMC VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR (Call Me Crazy), APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR (Call Me Crazy) and SINGLE OF THE YEAR (Just Another Girl). The Wolfe Brothers will be vying for ALBUM OF THE YEAR (This Crazy Life) and COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR.
Cox and Luke O’Shea both up for three Awards a piece will perform consecutively on the night. O’Shea is finalist for TOYOTA HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR (The Old Man’s Shed), ALBUM OF THE YEAR (Caught Up In The Dreaming), and MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR. And Cox with will contend for ALTERNATIVE COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR (Part of Me), BLUEGRASS RECORDING OF THE YEAR (Another Weary Mile) and FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR.
The Awards show will also feature performances by QANTASLINK NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR contenders: Americana sweethearts, The Weeping Willows, troubadour storyteller Michael Waugh, “kick-ass alt-country artist” Fanny Lumsden, and former X Factor contestants Caitlyn Shadbolt and Justin Standley.
The Awards, which started in 1973 are the nation’s longest running music awards and play a vital role in developing and promoting Australian country music talent. Awards Director Peter Ross said: “The 45th Annual Toyota Golden Guitar Awards show promises audiences a night of non-stop entertainment with an exceptional line-up of Australia’s favourite country music stars combined with some of the country’s most amazing new talent.” Mr Ross says, fans are sure to be captivated right from the start.
The Toyota Golden Guitar Awards are the only industry affiliated country music awards in Australia and the greatest celebration of Australian country music talent.
The Golden Guitar Awards is the pinnacle event of the Toyota Country Music Festival in Tamworth and for the second year running the show will be streamed LIVE to audiences around the world through the official Toyota Country Music Festival channel www.tcmf.com.au/live.
The Toyota Country Music Festival will be held from Friday 20 to Sunday 29 January 2017 with the 45th Toyota Golden Guitar Awards on Saturday 28 January 2017 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 proudly supported by the NSW Government though its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Stay tuned for further updates on the presenters, musical performances, special guests and the latest Golden Guitar Awards news in the coming weeks.
