Today, on behalf of Tamworth Regional Council and the Country Music Association of Australia Inc. (CMAA), Golden Guitar Award-winning artists Ashleigh Dallas and Blake O'Connor announced the nominees for the 49th Country Music Awards of Australia – the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards.
The 2021 nominees were selected from more than 674 entries across 16 categories and reflect a melting-pot of musical creativity that has characterised the year in Australian country music.
Chair of the CMAA, Dan Biddle said: "On behalf of the board of the Country Music Association of Australia, I congratulate all the nominees announced today. The number and calibre of entries is inspiring and truly showcases the passion, creativity and spirit that Australian country music cherishes. Today’s nominees announcement event has set the scene for what will be an unforgettable awards show in Tamworth in January.”
Leading the nominations is 2020 ARIA Country Album of the Year Award Nominee Fanny Lumsden with seven nominations. Lumsden's album Fallow, which debuted at number 10 on the ARIA Chart and number two on the ARIA Country Album Chart, is nominated for ALT COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR and TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR. Her song Fierce is nominated for APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR and APPLE MUSIC SINGLE OF THE YEAR while These Days is up for HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR. She is also nominated for CMT VIDEO OF THE YEAR (Mountain Song/This Too Shall Pass) and the coveted FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR. The 2021 Golden Guitar Award nominations add to already huge acclaim for Lumsden's album, which she recorded in Stone Hut at her Snow Mountains property in Tooma, NSW.
Other top nominees include The McClymonts and Travis Collins, who are both up for the 2020 ARIA Country Album of the Year and have six nominations apiece.
The distinctive and enduring force of The McClymonts has seen them receive nominations for CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR, and TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR with their 6th studio album Mayhem to Madness. The modern country trio's nominations continue with APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR, CMT VIDEO OF THE YEAR, and APPLE MUSIC SINGLE OF THE YEAR (I Got This). Collins' captivating dynamism and energy are at the core of his supercharged new album Wreck Me, which will also vie for CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR, APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR, CMT VIDEO OF THE YEAR, and APPLE MUSIC SINGLE OF THE YEAR, (Rainy Day), as well as MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR.
2020 has most definitely been a "breakthrough year" for Gold Coast country-rock artist Casey Barnes. He will also be adding four Toyota Golden Guitar Award nominations to his 2020 ARIA Country Album of the Year nomination. Barnes' album Town of a Million Dreams will vie for CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR and TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR. He is also a contender for MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR and VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR with Missy Lancaster for their song No Other You.
After competing in the 2016 Toyota Star Maker, Allison Forbes' highly anticipated debut record Bonedigger debuted at number five on the iTunes country charts this year and has seen her receive nominations in four categories ALT COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR, NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR and BLUEGRASS RECORDING OF THE YEAR with The Weeping Willows (Cold Moon).
While established artists in their own right, new song-writing trio, The New Graces bring an evocative, warm, and harmonic sound to the Australian country music landscape and round out the list of artists with four award nominations. Their album and single of the same name Seasons will compete for TRADITIONAL COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR, COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR, and NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR.
Artists with three nominations include Brad Cox, Kristy Cox, Luke O'Shea, and Melody Moko. Dual places go to Adam Brand, The Buckleys, Charlie & Jensen, Jasmine Rae, Shane Nicholson, Warren H Williams and The Weeping Willows.
Single nominations go to Adam Eckersley, Adam Harvey and Lee Kernaghan, Amber Lawrence, Aleyce Simmonds, Kirsty Lee Akers and Diana Corcoran, Cass Hopetoun, Darlinghurst, Dean Perrett, Dianne Lindsay, Graham Rodger, The Howie Brothers, Hurricane Fall, John Williamson, Kevin Bennett, Liam Kennedy-Clark and Gabi Blissett, Michael Carpenter and The Banks Brothers, Michael Fix, Missy Lancaster, Morgan Evans, Pete Denahy, Peter Coad, Rob Hirst and Jay O’Shea, Roo Arcus, Small Town Romance and Anne Kirkpatrick, Tom Curtain with Lee Kernaghan and Sara Storer, The Wolfe Brothers. See below for the full list of nominees in the Awards order.
Toyota Australia Chief Marketing Officer, John Pappas said, “After what has been a challenging year for the music industry, we are delighted to see so many great Australian artists being celebrated with Golden Guitar nominations.
It’s a true testament to both the level of talent and the strength of these musicians we have in the Australian country music scene - something Toyota Australia is extremely proud to support.”
Today’s nominee's announcement was streamed live to audiences through Facebook. It featured performances by 2021 Toyota Golden Guitar Award nominees Travis Collins Better Than You Found 'Em, Allison Forbes & The Weeping Willows Cold Moon, and Fanny Lumsden These Days.
Tamworth Regional Council and the CMAA will present the 2021 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards LIVE on Saturday, 23 January 2021, from Tamworth Region Entertainment and Conference Centre and live-streamed via the ABC with further details to be confirmed.
In the meantime, you can listen to the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards Nominees playlist on Apple Music here: Apple Music Playlist - 2021 Toyota Golden Guitar Award Nominees
Stay tuned for updates on the announcers, musical performances, special guests, and the latest Toyota Golden Guitar Awards news in the coming weeks at www.tcmf.com.au
