JUST 51 days remain until our city’s population triples and tens of thousands converge on Tamworth for the Country Music Festival.
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In a sure sign the event that puts our name on the international map is just around the corner, the Golden Guitar Award finalists have been announced.
The country music industry came together in Sydney on Tuesday for the announcement of finalists, which will fast-track them to perform at the festival in January.
The event doubled as the official launch of the 2017 Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival.
Now, we can’t deny that country music is for everyone.
Some locals would rather dial down the volume when the twang of country comes over the radio or others might even skip town when our city balloons in size every January.
But the festival is an amazing opportunity to put Tamworth in the spotlight.
It plays an invaluable role in helping artists establish themselves as renowned performers.
Not only is the festival great for the local tourism market and a welcomed shot in the arm for the economy, but it also cements Tamworth as the national breeding ground for homegrown talent.
Tamworth is the country music capital of Australia.
And it’s a title we should wear with pride.
Every January, our city becomes heaving with the who’s who of the country music industry.
From buskers eyeing stardom to international acts who started from the same humble beginnings decades prior, they still choose to migrate to Tamworth every year.
Next year’s Golden Guitar finalists is a nice mix of new faces and old-time favourites.
That’s the beauty of the awards – they recognise the contribution artists have played in the industry for years, but also welcome the up-and-coming talent to help give the industry a future.
The 2017 festival is shaping up to be another show-stopping 10 days, culminating in the Golden Guitar winners being announced on January 28.
We should embrace the festival with open arms and throw our support behind it in every way we can.
In less than two months, we’ll have the country looking at us.
It is our time to shine.