TONIGHT is the night that Australian country music waits all year for, with the Golden Guitars to be presented.
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The CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre will see the cream of country get glammed up and wait nervously in the hope of hearing their names being called out and leaving with the gold.
For Luke O’Shea, he’ll hear his name read out six times as a finalist in Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Vocal Collaboration, Toyota Heritage Song, APRA Song, and Video Clip of the Year.
“It’s really nice that something I put a lot of love, and blood, sweat and tears, into is really connecting with people,” he said.
“As a songwriter, that’s all I can hope to achieve.
“Sometimes the songs are deeply personal, but they resonate with a lot of people.”
He’s already added to his award cabinet this festival, with wins at the Australian Country Music People’s Choice Awards and Independent Country Music Awards.
“It’s quite humbling,” he said.
“I’ve never gone into the awards being the favourite, I’m always the dark horse. I’m just happy to get on stage.”
O’Shea will perform Three Brothers (The Great War) during the awards concert.
“It’s a very powerful, hard-hitting song that punches the listener in the nose and reminds them what a disaster the supposed Great War was,” he said.
He said technology had made it easier for independent artists like himself to produce work up to the standard of major signed artists, which meant they were now equally competitive.
His nominated track, Sing You Up, pays tribute to those protesting coal seam gas mining and the waste of water resources in agricultural areas such as Boggabri.
“The fact that the video is in the top five means it’s resonating with people and they are finding it through social media,” he said.
“Australians are starting to become aware of this unconventional invasion going on.”
Kasey Chambers also has six finalist nods, in Female Artist, Album, Vocal Collaboration, APRA Song, Video Clip and Single of the Year.
John Williamson and Adam Harvey are finalists in five sections each.
The McClymonts, Lyn Bowtell, Kristy Cox, Harmony James and McAlister Kemp have three finalist placings each.
The red carpet begins at 5.30pm and the awards start at 7.30pm.
