The Country Music Association of Australia is calling for nominations from current Professional Members of the Association to nominate for the Board.

The Board of Management consists of 12 positions:

• 9 elected positions from the Professional Membership of the Association
• 2 Board appointed positions for one year terms
• Board appointed position of President and Vice President for one year terms

The Board internally elects the positions of the Executive (Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary) on an annual basis.

The Board has the responsibility to ensure effective corporate governance including control and managing the affairs of the Association exercise under the Incorporations Act of 1984.

Nominations are invited and will be received to the Office of the Country Music Association of Australia no later than close of business Friday, 31^st July, 2009.

The 2009 elections will fill four vacant Board Member positions.

CMAA Professional Members are urged to access the detailed information via the Board Nomination Package link below.

Board Nomination Package

Please direct any queries to:
Cheryl Hayes, CMAA General Manager on 02 6766 1577.

Tamworth Regional Council, Tourism Tamworth, the Country Music Association of Australia and Events NSW embarked on planning for the next 38 years of the Tamworth Country Music Festival by announcing the appointment of Peer Group Media to assist with the strategic and sponsorship focus of the event.

In September 2008, the project partners and the city of Tamworth announced a significant partnership with Events NSW, recognising the Tamworth Country Music Festival as a major event in NSW investing $50million annually into the local economy. The partnership seeks to grow the economic, marketing and community benefits and capitalise on the significant strengths of this iconic festival.

After an extensive search, the stakeholders have selected Peer Group Media to assist with the strategic development of the event through strong business and event planning and to realise the commercial and sponsorship potential of the event.

Key players in the partnership from Peer Group Media are Adam Zammit and Stuart Couzens. Chief Executive Officer Adam Zammit said, "Bringing together the best of musical entertainment and commercial opportunity is what Peer Group does best. The Tamworth Country Music Festival and CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia are two of the most iconic music events in the world, so the relationship between Peer and Tamworth is a great fit. We look forward to working with all stakeholders, especially the community of Tamworth."

Chair of the Working Group Clr James Treloar Mayor of Tamworth Regional Council said "This partnership between the city, the industry and fans will see the Tamworth Country Music Festival continue to be an event highlight for January in NSW and the greatest celebration of Country Music in Australia".

The dates for the 2010 Tamworth Country Music Festival will be; Countdown from Friday, 8th January to Thursday 14th, and the main event commencing Friday 15th and concluding Sunday, 24th January, with the CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia to be held Saturday, 23rd January, 2010 at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre.

The Tamworth Country Music Festival attracts over 50,000 visitors annually to Australia's Country Music Capital for the event in January and the Tamworth Country Music Festival was in 2007 (by Forbes Magazine) voted 'Number 8' in the 'World¹s Coolest Music Festivals'. The annual event doubles the population of this inland regional city and provides over 2,500 events across 80 different venues over 10 days in January.

Cheryl Hayes, General Manager of the Country Music Association, made a special visit to Tamworth’s own Ronald McDonald House and presented a specially signed 37th Country Music Awards of Australia Gibson Guitar.

Signed by artists backstage at this year’s Country Music Awards of Australia the CMAA was pleased to present the one of a kind electric guitar to Ronald McDonald House Manager Raelee Balderston. The guitar will be used to raise valuable funds for the House.

Artists who have signed the guitar include Kasey Chambers, Shane Nicholson, John Williamson, Troy Cassar-Daley, Felicity Urquhart, Adam Brand, Catherine Britt, The McClymonts, Joy McKean, Anne Kirkpatrick, Melinda Schneider, Warren H Williams, Darren Coggan, Jasmine Rae, Talia Wittmann, Gina Jeffreys and Peter Denahy. 

Ronald McDonald House, which runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week largely due to its dedicated team of 130 volunteers, has been in operation in Tamworth for just over six months. The House provides a home away from home and a place where parents and carers can remove themselves from the clinical environment and do the normal things in comfort like have a warm shower, take a rest, have a meal and have the company of other adults who are dealing with their child's illness or accident.

Tamworth Ronald McDonald House Manager Raelee Balderston said, ”We want to thank the CMAA, Gibson and the country music artist fraternity for this wonderful gesture. The money raised will help in the maintenance and ongoing operational costs such as linen, telephone bills, grocery items which are part of the monthly budget just like any other home”

In presenting the guitar, Cheryl Hayes said she was “In awe of the wonderful caring environment provided by Ronald McDonald House. When Gibson presented the CMAA with the opportunity to use a guitar as a fundraising activity, Ronald McDonald House immediately came to mind as a deserving choice”

www.rmhtamworth.org.au

Photo: Raelee Balderston (left) and Cheryl Hayes

Tamworth, NSW, 24th January 2009:  Australian country music’s night of nights, the 37th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, presented by Jayco, were delivered tonight to a capacity crowd. The awards were hosted by country music stars Troy Cassar-Daley and Felicity Urquhart.

Big winners on the night were husband and wife duo, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, taking home a total of 5 “Golden Guitar” trophies for their No. 1 Album Rattlin’ Bones.

The couple swept the Awards, winning in the categories of Album of the Year (co-produced by Shane Nicholson & Nash Chambers), APRA Song of the Year, Video Clip of the Year (directed by Helen Clemens), Single of the Year and Top Selling Album Of The Year.

Adam Brand was awarded Male Artist of the Year for the second time, bringing his total career tally to 12 Country Music Awards of Australia.

Being announced Female Artist of the Year capped off a successful year for Catherine Britt. Her album Little Wildflower has received critical acclaim and has scored her three No. 1 airplay singles. Catherine can now add her first Golden Guitar trophy to her mantle.

The McClymonts continued their reign taking out once again the Group or Duo of the Year title, 2009 marks the third consecutive year Brooke, Mollie and Sam have won this Award. They join Bullamakanka in taking out the Group/Duo title over three consecutive years.

The Bush Ballad of the Year penned by John Williamson, Australia Is Another Word For Free, earned John his 24th Golden Guitar, sharing the award with Warren H Williams and Amos Morris.

The 2009 Heritage Song of the Year Award went to Darren Coggan for Too Dark For The Light Horse, a track co-written with Ken McBeath.

The Gibson New Talent Award went to 2008 Toyota Star Maker winner, Talia Wittmann, for Reckless Side of Me.

Melinda Schneider and Paul Kelly won the Vocal Collaboration of the Year Award for Still Here and the Davidson Brothers, Lachlan and Hamish, took home the Fender Instrumental of the Year Award for Left Hand Drive.

For a full list of winners please see below.

The 37th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia will be broadcast on Network Ten and Southern Cross Ten on Sunday, 1st February, 2009 at 2.00pm and on CMC (Country Music Channel) on Saturday, 14th February at 7.00pm.

Winners in the 2009 CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia presented by Jayco

APRA Song of the Year
Rattlin’ Bones - written and recorded by Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson

Vocal Collaboration of the Year
Still Here - Melinda Schneider & Paul Kelly

Bush Ballad of the Year
Australia Is Another Word For Free - written by John Williamson,
recorded by John Williamson, Warren H Williams & Amos Morris

Video Clip of the Year
Rattlin’ Bones - Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson,
directed by Helen Clemens

Single of the Year
Rattlin’ Bones - Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson

Fender Instrumental of the Year
Left Hand Drive - Davidson Brothers

Group or Duo of the Year
Finally Over Blue - The McClymonts

Heritage Song of the Year
Too Dark For The Light Horse - written by Darren Coggan & Ken McBeath,
recorded by Darren Coggan

Highest Selling Album of the Year
Rattlin’ Bones - Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson

Gibson New Talent of the Year
The Reckless Side Of Me - Talia Wittmann

Female Artist of the Year
Catherine Britt - What I Did Last Night

Male Artist of the Year
Get On Down The Road – Adam Brand

Album of the Year
Rattlin’ Bones - Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson
Produced by Nash Chambers & Shane Nicholson

CMC Oz Artist of the Year
Adam Brand