James Johnston picks up his first ever Golden Guitar Awards nomination with 6 nominations in total;
Adam Brand, Amber Lawrence and Casey Barnes each picking up 5 nominations
Following a tremendous number of entries for the Toyota 51st Golden Guitar Awards, Tamworth Regional Council, with the support of the Country Music Association of Australia Inc (CMAA), are pleased to announce the nominees for the 2023 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards.
Topping the list and picking up his first ever Golden Guitar Awards nomination is country music young gun, James Johnston, with a total of six nominations, while Adam Brand, Amber Lawrence, and Casey Barnes each picked up five nominations.
The full list of nominees for the 51st Golden Guitar Awards were announced virtually today by eight-time Golden Guitar, ARIA and AIR Award winning artist Fanny Lumsden.
Toyota Golden Guitar Awards Executive Producer, Mr. Peter Ross said: “This year’s list of nominees is a true snapshot of how diverse and talented Australia’s country music artists are. The 2023 Awards will acknowledge and celebrate their creativity and passion. On behalf of Tamworth Regional Council, I would like to congratulate all the nominees in the Toyota 51st Golden Guitar Awards.”
More than 620 entries were received for the 2023 Golden Guitar Awards, which follows a record-breaking year in 2022.
In a massive Golden Guitar Awards nominations debut, James Johnston has been nominated for Male Artist of the Year and New Talent of the Year, while his single Small Town has been nominated for Apple Music Single of the Year, Song of the Year and CMT Video of the Year. He’s also been nominated for Vocal Collaboration of the Year with Kaylee Bell for their tack Same Songs.
Adam Brand makes a triumphant return to the Golden Guitar Awards nominees list with the multi-award-winning artist nominated for Male Artist of the Year. His 2022 album All or Nothing, which is also nominated for a 2022 ARIA Award, is nominated for Toyota Album of the Year and Contemporary Country Album of the Year, while the self-titled track also picked up a nomination for Apple Music Single of the Year and Song of the Year.
Amber Lawrence also picked up five nominations, including Female Artist of the Year, while her album Living for the Highlights has been nominated for Toyota Album of the Year and Contemporary Country Album of the Year. It is also nominated for the 2022 ARIA Award Best Country Album. Amber’s single I’m Coming Home is up for Heritage Song of the Year and she’s also been nominated for Vocal Collaboration of the Year with Kirsty Lee Akers and Ashleigh Dallas for their song Let the Girls Sing.
Country rocker Casey Barnes is up for Male Artist of the Year, while his album Light It Up is nominated for Toyota Album of the Year and Contemporary Country Album of the Year. His single Small Town is up for Song of the Year, while his song Get to Know Ya is nominated for Apple Music Single of the Year.
Tamworth local and reigning Female Artist of the Year Ashleigh Dallas has picked up four nominations. In addition to her Vocal Collaboration of the Year nomination with Kirsty Lee Akers and Amber Lawrence, Ashleigh Dallas is also nominated once again for Female Artist of the Year, while her album In the Moment is nominated for Toyota Album of the Year and Traditional Country Album of the Year.
Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley are up for Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year, while their single Star of the Show is nominated for Song of the Year and CMT Video of the Year. Their song Memory Lane is also up for Apple Music Single of the Year.
Folk and country artist Angus Gill has picked up four nominations including Bluegrass Recording of the Year (Sweet Sister Jasmine), Heritage Song of the Year for his song Listen to the Country with Kevin Bennett, Instrumental of the Year for his song Dust with Pixie Jenkins, and Bush Ballad of the Year for his song Waiting for the Boss featuring Anne Kirkpatrick.
The Weeping Willows are once again up for a Golden Guitar Award with four nominations including Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year and Alt Country Album of the Year for their album You Reap What you Sow. The Weeping Willows also have two Bluegrass Recording of the Year nominations for their track House of Sin, and their track with Lynchburg Until This Song Ends.
Kaylee Bell, Luke O’Shea, Michael Carpenter and The Banks Brothers and Lyn Bowtell all picked up three nominations, while dual nominations went to Lee Kernaghan, Mitch Tambo, Isaiah Firebrace, Morgan Evans, Kristy Cox, Blake Dantier, and Melanie Dyer.
There were 32 artists with single nominations including The Wolfe Brothers, Travis Collins, Allan Caswell, Amy Sheppard, Kirsty Lee Akers, Andrew Swift, Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham, Allison Forbes, Andy Golledge, Andy Penkow, Anne Kirkpatrick, Caitlyn Shadbolt, Cass Hopetoun, Dean Perrett, Dianne Lindsay, Hamish Davidson, Hayley Jensen, Jenny Mitchell, Kevin Bennett, Kim Cheshire, Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes, Lynchburg, 2022 Toyota Star Maker, Max Jackson, McAlister Kemp, Mickey Pye, Pete Denahy, Pixie Jenkins, top Golden Guitar winner of 2022, Shane Nicholson, Taylor Moss, TC Cassidy, The Buckleys, and The French Family Band.
NSW Minister for Tourism and the Arts Ben Franklin said: “The Golden Guitar Awards are a music institution that every year shines a light on the incredible depth of Australia’s country music talent. On behalf of the NSW Government, I join the CMAA in congratulating all the incredibly gifted nominees for the 2023 Golden Guitar Awards and look forward to supporting world-class music events like Tamworth Country Music Festival that showcase our country music talent, as well as regional NSW to fans from around the world.”
Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley said this year’s nominees were an outstanding selection of the cream of Australian country music artists and he was looking forward to seeing who takes home the Golden Guitar Awards in January at what is Australia’s premier country music awards event.
“The Toyota Golden Guitar Awards showcase the very best of the best in country music and this year, the star-studded list of nominees demonstrates that,” Mr Hanley said.
“The awards presentation is always a highlight of the Tamworth Country Music Festival for country music fans and we wish all nominees the best of luck,” he said.
Today’s nominees announcement was livestreamed to audiences across the country and overseas.
Tamworth Regional Council will present the Toyota 51st Golden Guitar Awards live on Saturday, 21 January 2023, from Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre and livestreamed via the Festival website.
Listen to the official Toyota Golden Guitar Awards playlist on Apple Music here: Apple Music 2023 Golden Guitar Awards Nominee Playlist.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on the Toyota 51st Golden Guitar Awards, including the announcement of the 2023 hosts, musical performances, special guests at www.tcmf.com.au/awards
Toyota 51st Golden Guitar Awards
2023 Nominees
APPLE MUSIC SINGLE OF THE YEAR
All Or Nothing - Adam Brand
Memory Lane - Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley
Get To Know Ya - Casey Barnes
Small Town - James Johnston
Sing Along Drink Along - Morgan Evans
CMT VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Star Of The Show - Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley – Directed by Brad Murnane
Small Town - James Johnston – Directed by Elijah Cavanagh
South East Queensland - Luke O'Shea – Directed by Luke O'Shea and Jay Seeney
Something Good's Gonna Happen - The Wolfe Brothers featuring Amy Sheppard – Directed by Jay Seeney
One Of Them Nights - Travis Collins – Directed by Jay Seeney
VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
James Johnston & Kaylee Bell - Same Songs
Kirsty Lee Akers, Amber Lawrence and Ashleigh Dallas - Let The Girls Sing
Lee Kernaghan, Mitch Tambo and Isaiah Firebrace - Come Together
Lyn Bowtell & Shane Nicholson – Wiser
Melanie Dyer & Caitlyn Shadbolt - Dumb Decisions
INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR
Dust - Angus Gill & Pixie Jenkins
Burning Mountain - Michael Carpenter and The Banks Brothers featuring Hamish Davidson
Fidget Spinner - Mickey Pye
Clippety Clop - Pete Denahy
Soda Cap Boogie - The French Family Band
BLUEGRASS RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Sweet Sister Jasmine - Angus Gill
Good Morning Moon - Kristy Cox
Until This Song Ends - Lynchburg & The Weeping Willows
Road Man - Michael Carpenter and The Banks Brothers
House Of Sin - The Weeping Willows
HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR
I'm Coming Home – Written by Amber Lawrence and Katrina Burgoyne – Recorded by Amber Lawrence
Listen to the Country – Written and Recorded by Angus Gill & Kevin Bennett
Bogswamp - Written by Josh Cunningham – Recorded by Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham
Come Together – Written by Lee Kernaghan, Mitch Tambo, Isaiah Firebrace, Nicholas Wolfe, Colin Buchanan and Garth Porter – Recorded by Lee Kernaghan, Mitch Tambo and Isaiah Firebrace
South East Queensland – Written by Luke O'Shea, Fred Smith and Mitchell Lynham – Recorded by Luke O'Shea
BUSH BALLAD OF THE YEAR
Sometimes It’s Your Job – Written by Allan Caswell, Manfred Vijars and Lindsay Waddington - Recorded by Allan Caswell
Ghostly Gums – Written by Kath Stewart, David Carter, Angela Bristow-Baohm and Andy Penkow – Recorded by Andy Penkow
Waiting for the Boss – Written by Angus Gill, Alan Mackey & Mary O'Brien – Recorded by Angus Gill featuring Anne Kirkpatrick
Out on Killarney – Written and recorded by Dean Perrett
Family Tree – Written by Rod McCormack, Dianne Lindsay and Peter Simpson – Recorded by Dianne Lindsay
NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR
Blake Dantier
Cass Hopetoun
James Johnston
Max Jackson
Taylor Moss
COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO
OF THE YEAR
Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley
Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes
McAlister Kemp
The Buckleys
The Weeping Willows
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Adam Brand
Andrew Swift
Casey Barnes
James Johnston
Morgan Evans
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Amber Lawrence
Ashleigh Dallas
Hayley Jensen
Lyn Bowtell
Melanie Dyer
SONG OF THE YEAR
All Or Nothing - Written by Adam Brand, Nicholas Wolfe and Tom Wolfe – Recorded by Adam Brand
Star Of The Show – Written by Brooke McClymont, Adam Eckersley, Dan Biederman and Tiggy Heart Eckersley – Recorded by Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley
Small Town – Written by Casey Barnes, Michael DeLorenzis and Michael Paynter – Recorded by Casey Barnes
Small Town – Written by James Johnston and Nolan Wynne – Recorded by James Johnston
South East Queensland – Written by Luke O'Shea, Fred Smith and Mitchell Lynham – Recorded by Luke O’Shea
ALT COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Dead Men Tell No Tales - Allison Forbes – Produced by Matt Fell
Strength Of A Queen - Andy Golledge – Produced by John Vella & Ryan Miller
Tug of War - Jenny Mitchell - Produced by Matt Fell
Looks Like Heaven - Kim Cheshire – Produced by Rod McCormack
You Reap What You Sow - The Weeping Willows – Produced by Andrew Wrigglesworth & Laura Coates
CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
All Or Nothing - Adam Brand – Produced by Adam Brand, Vesa Matara, Benjy Pocock and Luke Wooten
Living For The Highlights - Amber Lawrence - Produced by Stuart Stuart
Light It Up - Casey Barnes – Produced by Michael DeLorenzis and Michael Paynter
Silver Linings - Kaylee Bell – Produced by Simon Oscroft, Andy Mak, Joseph Faris, Andrew Pacheco and Lindsay Rimes.
Wiser - Lyn Bowtell – Produced by Shane Nicholson
TRADITIONAL COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
In The Moment - Ashleigh Dallas – Produced by Brett Dallas
Dry Season - Blake Dantier – Produced by Simon Johnson
Shades of Blue - Kristy Cox – Produced by Jerry Salley
Mr Goodtime - Michael Carpenter and The Banks Brothers – Produced by Michael Carpenter
Travelling Heart - TC Cassidy – Produced by Angus Gill
TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR
All Or Nothing - Adam Brand - Produced by Adam Brand, Vesa Matara, Benjy Pocock and Luke Wooten
Living For The Highlights - Amber Lawrence – Produced by Stuart Stuart
In The Moment - Ashleigh Dallas – Produced by Brett Dallas
Light It Up - Casey Barnes – Produced by Michael DeLorenzis and Michael Paynter
Silver Linings - Kaylee Bell – Produced by Simon Oscroft, Andy Mak and Joseph Faris
