"That's what our music is about, what Australia is about, being down to earth," he told a crowd on Peel Street in Tamworth on Wednesday.

"I couldn't be prouder to be on the ground on the street right here."

The life-size Tanya Bartlett sculpture was created to honour the true blue legend as he marks 52 years in the industry and half a century of the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

"I'm finding it hard to keep it together to be quite honest," Williamson said.

"Until I saw it ... I wasn't too sure how I was going to be affected by it."

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Williamson held back tears as musician Col Buchanan told the crowd of all the reasons he was a John Williamson fan - his commitment, messages, lyrics so vivid they have listeners "picking burrs from your socks".

"That's what we do," Williamson said afterwards.

"We get out bush and we write about what we know and what we love.

"It's about who we are and I am very proud of who I am and who you are here today folks."

He said music is all about stories and acknowledged the story of Australia extends far beyond the last 200 years with the history of First Nations people.

Williamson's statue stands proudly between industry royalty Joy McKean, Slim Dusty and Smoky Dawson.

Special guest Governor-General David Hurley arrived in Tamworth and thanked Williamson for his contribution - not just to music, but to the nation.

"You have ... been passionate about conservation issues, you have ruffled a few feathers, you have said what needs to be said," he told Williamson.

"Your fingerprints are all over Australia - in our hearts and in our minds."

Tamworth Regional Council and a dedicated committee - including festival co-founder Max Ellis - have been instrumental in getting the sculpture off the ground, and financial contributions flowed in from far and wide.

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