The Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) announced the finalists in the 41st Annual Country Music Awards of Australia with Rex Dallas, Felicity Urquhart, Rae Moody of The Harmonators and Lawrie Minson all finalists.

Manilla's Rex is a finalist in Bush Ballad of the Year, former Tamworth girl Felicity is a finalist in Vocal Collaboration of the Year with Tamara Stewart and Sara Storer, Tamworth's Rae Moody is one half of The Harmonators who are finalists in Vocal Group or Duo and Tamworth's Lawrie is a finalist in Instrumental of the Year with Lindsay Waddington. 

With seven nominations each, Catherine Britt and Troy Cassar-Daley have the most chances to take home the gold.

The McClymonts, back in Australia after a year of international touring, are nominated for five Golden Guitars as are Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson with Wreck & Ruin, their second offering as a duo.

Other multiple finalists are country music icons John Williamson and Colin Buchanan, each with four nominations. Sara Storer, in what has been a quiet year professionally, also has four nominations via her two prominent collaborations. 

Harmony James, Tamara Stewart, Luke O’Shea, 2012 Toyota Star Maker winner Bob Corbett and hard working video director Duncan Toombs are all nominated three times.

The New Talent category had the strongest group of nominees in many years and will be a hard one to pick. Bob Corbett, Chelsea Basham, Chris E Thomas, Harry Hookey and Kristy Cox are all outstanding new artists worthy of the recognition that comes with a Golden Guitar.

Equally hard to predict will be the outcome for the established nominees in what has been an exceptional year for Australian Country Music.

The 41st CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia will be staged at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC) on Australia Day, January 26, 2013.

 The full list of the 2013 finalist follows.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

 * Always Never Enough - Catherine Britt, produced by Catherine Britt & Bill Chambers

* Country Proud - McAlister Kemp, produced by Matt Fell

* Home - Troy Cassar-Daley, produced by Troy Cassar-Daley

* Two Worlds Collide - The McClymonts, produced by Nathan Chapman, Peter Asher and Luke Wooten

* Wreck & Ruin - Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, produced by Nash Chambers, Shane Nicholson and Kasey Chambers

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR:

* Amber Lawrence - The Man Across The Street

* Catherine Britt - Charlestown Road

* Tamara Stewart - Sisterhood (Of Feeling Good)

* Lyn Bowtell - Beautiful Liar

* Harmony James- Emmylou's Guitar

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR:

* Adam Brand - There Will Be Love

* John Williamson - Prairie Hotel Parachilna

* Luke O'Shea - The Drovers Wife

* Travis Collins - Fired Today

* Troy Cassar-Daley – Home

GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR:

 * Camille and Stuie - Things Change

* Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Adam & Eve

* McAlister Kemp - Country Proud

* The Harmonators - Perfect Storm

* The McClymonts - Piece Of Me

NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR:

 * Bob Corbett - Blown Away

* Chelsea Basham - Laugh It Off

* Chris E Thomas - Stone Cold

* Harry Hookey - Audrey's Song

* Kristy Cox - Miles & Timezones

APRA SONG OF THE YEAR:

 * Adam & Eve - written & recorded by Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson

* Charlestown Road - written & recorded by Catherine Britt

* Emmylou's Guitar - written & recorded by Harmony James

* Home - written & recorded by Troy Cassar-Daley

* Women In Song- Written by Tamara Stewart and Colin Buchanan. Recorded by Tamara Stewart, Sara Storer and Felicity Urquhart

VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR:

 * Adam & Eve - Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, directed by Duncan Toombs

* Country Is - Troy Cassar-Daley, directed by Duncan Toombs

* Charlestown Road - Catherine Britt, directed by Jefferton James

* Piece Of Me - The McClymonts, directed by Duncan Toombs

* The Big Red - John Williamson, directed by Mark Jago

SINGLE OF THE YEAR:

 * Adam & Eve - Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson

* Always Never Enough - Catherine Britt

* Country Is - Troy Cassar-Daley

* Piece Of Me - The McClymonts

* Waitress - Beccy Cole

VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR:

* New England Sky - Luke O'Shea & Dianna Corcoran

* Reach For You - Harmony James & Shane Nicholson

* Song Of Australia - Colin Buchanan, Lee Kernaghan & Sara Storer

* Troubled Man - Catherine Britt & Tim Rogers

* Women In Song - Tamara Stewart, Sara Storer, Felicity Urquhart

BUSH BALLAD OF THE YEAR:

* Heartbeat of Australia the Man of the Land - written by Dean Perrett & Stuart French, recorded by Dean Perrett

* Looking Back – written & recorded by Graham Rodger

* Mystery Of Saddle Girl - written & recorded by Rex Dallas

* Old Tobacco Tin - written & recorded by Peter Simpson & Dianne Lindsay

* The Ballad of Castlereagh - written by Vaughan Baker, recorded by Bec Hance

INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR:

* Frankenbeanz - Bob Corbett & The Roo Grass Band

* One Christmas Night - Tommy Emmanuel

* The Warrumbungle Mare - Lawrie Minson & Lindsay Waddington

* Transpacific - Davidson Brothers

* Yackandandah 1852 - Pete Denahy

HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR:

* Charlestown Road - written & recorded by Catherine Britt

* Marree Girl- written & recorded by John Williamson

* Song Of Australia - written by Colin Buchanan & Garth Porter, recorded by Colin Buchanan, Lee Kernaghan & Sara Storer

* Tall Dark Ringer - written by Troy Cassar-Daley & Colin Buchanan, recorded by Troy Cassar-Daley

* The Drovers Wife - written by Luke O'Shea & Peter Gabrielides, recorded by Luke O'Shea

ALTERNATIVE COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: 

* Big Days & Little Years - Camille and Stuie, produced by Stuie French

* Lucky Country - Bob Corbett & The Roo Grass Band, produced by Robbie Long and Bob Corbett

* Miles & Timezones - Kristy Cox, produced by Jerry Salley

* Secret Songs - Lyn Bowtell, produced by Sean Rudd

* Travis Collins - produced by Travis Collins & Michael McGlynn

TOP SELLING INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

* Blown Away – Carrie Underwood (Sony)

* Emotional Traffic – Tim McGraw (Sony)

* Home – Dierks Bentley (EMI)

* Uncaged – Zac Brown Band (Warner)

* Thirty Miles West – Alan Jackson (Sony)

SANITY TOP SELLING AUSTRALIAN ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

* Home – Troy Cassar Daley (Liberation)

* Songs & Pictures – Beccy Cole (Core Music)

* The Big Red – John Williamson (Warner)

* There Will Be Love  - Adam Brand (Sony)

* Two Worlds Collide – The McClymonts (Universal)