AN AWARDS ceremony full of happy tears concluded one of the most up-beat Tamworth Country Music Festivals in its 44 year history.
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For more than 10 days, the streets of Country Music Capital have rung with the strains of country music in all its forms and, sadly, it’s come to an end, leaving plenty of satisfied fans in its wake.
Troy Cassar-Daley has to clear plenty of room on his mantelpiece after Saturday night’s Country Music Awards of Australia, adding five to his collection and bringing his total to 32.
Cassar-Daley, with his album Freedom Ride, stole the show, scooping up Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Toyota Heritage Song of the Year, APRA AMCOS Song of the Year and Single of the Year with Take a Walk in My Country.
“I felt good at two, so five feels out of this world,” he told The Leader after the awards ceremony.
“I get to play in this cherished town of Tamworth and you know to expect the worst and hope for the best.”
He said a highlight was sharing the stage with his co-writer on Freedom Ride, Paul Kelly.
The 2016 CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia concluded a year of achievements in the Australian country music industry with a night of entertainment and plenty of emotional moments at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre.
Lee Kernaghan capped off a huge year, adding three more Golden Guitars to his collection for Vocal Collaboration of the Year, Video Clip of the Year and Sanity Top Selling Australian Album of the Year all for Spirit of the Anzacs meaning he now has 36 of the golden gongs.
He left the awards ceremony with only two of his three, giving one to Brendon Nelson for the Australian War Memorial.
“I think making the Spirit of the Anzacs was the greatest musical experience of my life,” he said.
“It’s probably given me a much deeper appreciation of what it means to be Australian. We just wanted to make a fitting tribute to the men and women who serve and have served their country.”
Multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Pete Denahy left the night with two awards from three finalist spots, winning Instrumental of the Year for Cluck Old Hen and BHP Billiton Bluegrass Recording of the Year for Singin’ Shoes.
The Golden Guitar for Qantaslink New Talent of the Year went home with Christie Lamb while Allan Caswell and Manfred Vijars won Bush Ballad of the Year with their song One Last Muster.
After a year that has included her best and worst days, Catherine Britt picked up Female Artist of the Year for her album, Boneshaker, and after winning the 2015 ARIA Award for Best Country Album, Shane Nicholson won Alternative Country Album of the Year for Hell Breaks Loose, his sixth album.
Britt said she was pleased her album got the recognition it deserved, as she was concerned it might have been lost in everything else that had gone on in her life, including fighting breast cancer and getting married in the past year.
The Adam Eckersley Band took home Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year Golden Guitar - their second after they won Best New Talent last year.
For the first time in many years, the awards included the announcement of the Roll of Renown. Graeme Connors was the deserving inductee this year, with Max Ellis and Anne Kirkpatrick presenting him with the accolade.
