Two of the most popular acts in Australian country music – Brothers3 and Graham Rodger, each representing two distinct ends of the country music sector – again feature strongly among finalists for the Australian Country Music People’s Choice Awards.

Brothers3, who have just released a new album, have two finalist placings… Best Group and Best Song, for Thoughts Of You, the lead single from their album Brand New Day.

Graham tops the number of individual finalist placings with five, a clear refelction of his huge fan base. His finalist placings are for Best Album and Best Bush Ballad (for Ringers In The Sky), Best Male Vocal, Best Song (with I’ve Been A Fool Too Long) and Best Video (for Uluru).

Dale Duncan has notched up four placings from his What’s Country All About album released earlier this year. He is a finalist for Best Album, Best Bush Ballad (with Station Minderoo, written by Terry Bennetts & Keith Lethbridge, Best Male Vocal and Best Song (with Diamantina Coming Down, written by Norma O’Hara Murphy & Manfred Vijars).

Perrenial favourite The Long And Short Of It also have four finalist placings… for Best Album (with Requested Favourites), Best Group and Best Song and Best Video (for Old School).

Last year’s Best Album winner Paul Costa is back with three finalist placings… for Best Male Vocal, Best Song (with Best Version Of Me) and Best Video (with Off The Grid).

A number of newcomers feature strongly in this year’s Awards including Casey Barnes who, although not a finalist for Most Promising Future Star, has finalist placings in Best Abum (with The Good Life), Best Male Vocal and Best Video (with Set Sail).

Maddi Lynn – a graduate from the Australian Academy of Country Music – has three finalist placings… for Most Promising Future Star and Best Album and Best Video (with Scars And Memories).

Rachel Jillett has scored two finalist placings… for Best Bush Ballad (with Every Girl Wants A Cowboy) and Best Female Vocal.

Newcomer Tony Cook also has two finalist placings… Best Bush Ballad (with That’s Country) and Best Male Vocal.

And The Wolfe Brothers are finalists for Best Group and Best Album (with Country Heart).

Winners will be announced at a gala awards presentation at Our Lady of The Rosary Cultural Events Centre in Tamworth from 7:30pm Thursday January 24.

Tickets are now available – details on the website peopleschoiceawards.com.au.

A full listing of finalists…

BEST FEMALE VOCAL
Beccy Cole
Dianne Lindsay
Maddi Lynn
Becci Nethery
Gina Timms

BEST MALE VOCAL
Casey Barnes
Tony Cook
Paul Costa
Dale Duncan
Graham Rodger

BEST GROUP
Brothers3
Destiny Band Oz
The Long And Short Of It
Simply Bushed
The Wolfe Brothers

BEST ALBUM
Country Heart by The Wolfe Brothers
The Good Life by Casey Barnes
Requested Favourites by The Long And Short Of It
Ringers In The Sky by Graham Rodger
What Country’s All About by Dale Duncan

BEST SONG
Best Version Of Me by Paul Costa & Matt Scullion, recorded by Paul Costa
Diamantina Coming Down by Norma O’Hara Murphy & Manfred Vijars, recorded by Dale Duncan
I’ve Been A Fool Too Long written and recorded by Graham Rodger
Old School by David Baird & Kenneth Royster, recorded by The Long And Short Of It
Thoughts Of You by S Fahey-Leigh & M Fahey-Leigh, recorded by Brothers3

BEST BUSH BALLAD
Every Girl Wants A Cowboy, written and recorded by Rachel Jillett
Land Of Our Kin, written and recorded by Shaza Leigh
Ringers In The Sky, written and recorded by Graham Rodger
Station Minderoo by Terry Bennetts & Keith Lethbridge, recorded by Dale Duncan
That’s Country, written and recorded by Tony Cook

BEST VIDEO
Off The Grid by Paul Costa
Old School by The Long And The Short Of It
Scars And Memories by Maddi Lyn
Set Sail by Casey Barnes
Uluru by Graham Rodger

MOST PROMISING FUTURE STAR
Emma Jene
Maddi Lyn
Phoebe Jay
Rachel Jillett
The Tony Q Band

MOST POPULAR COUNTRY MUSIC DJ
Rhonda Francis, 2SSR Sydney
Alan Gilmour, Australian Country Songwriters Show, 94one
Pam Taylor, KLFM Bendigo
Tracy & The Big D, 104.9FM
Ron Trundle, Today’s Country 94one 

MOST POPULAR COUNTRY MUSIC PROGRAM OR RADIO STATION
The Australian Country Songwriters Show, 94one
My Kinda County, 2SSR FM
KIX Country
Northern Beaches Country
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