The 2019 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards celebrated a remarkable year for the Australian country music industry, with a line-up of standout performances by this year’s nominated artists at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC) on Saturday 26 January 2019.
The Wolfe Brothers were the big winners of the night. Taking home four awards from their five nominations, Nick and Tom Wolfe, together with Brodie Rainbird collected the coveted TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR award for their highly acclaimed fourth studio album, Country Heart, along with CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR and APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR for Ain’t Seen It Yet, co-written by the band with Erik Dylan.
The band thrilled the audience, performing their hit single Country Heart, which pays tribute to their country roots and their home in rural Tasmania, where Nick and Tom run their family farm, in addition to their successful career as one of Australia’s leading country bands.
Andrew Swift is also celebrating after collecting two awards from his four nominations. The rising Alt-Country artist won QANTAS NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR for his single Runaway Train and ALT COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR for Call Out For The Cavalry.
Swift’s performance of his upbeat single Runaway Train was a highlight of the evening for the thousands of country music fans that attended the awards.
Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples took out TRADITIONAL COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR for their album, Campfire with the group performing The Campfire Song, which pays homage to Chambers’ upbringing in the remote outback of Australia.
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR went to Travis Collins and FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR went to Beccy Cole.
This is Collins’ 7th Golden Guitar award with his latest album Brave & The Broken receiving high praise. His performance of Its Just Music was very poignant, speaking to the power and importance of story-telling through song and the way it unites us all.
It is the 11th Golden Guitar for Cole and 5th FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR award. Her latest album, Lioness is an all-female outfit, produced and performed by females.
BUSH BALLAD OF THE YEAR went to John Williamson for Please Don’t Forget Me, from his 20th studio album Butcherbird.
HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR went to Troy Cassar-Daley for Shadows On The Hill, taking his Golden Guitar tally to 37. He joins Lee Kernaghan, who also has 37 Golden Guitars, just behind Slim Dusty’s record 38 Golden Guitars.
The event also saw the awarding of the previously announced 2018 SANITY TOP SELLING ALBUM OF THE YEAR award, which went to country music superstar Keith Urban for his latest album Graffiti U. Earlier in the week, Urban delighted fans by performing a benefit show for drought relief at Tamworth Town Hall.
Morgan Evans won SINGLE OF THE YEAR with his platinum selling single Day Drunk which reached #1 on the Australian all-genre airplay chart in 2018 and still holds in the Top 20 after 32 weeks.
COCA COLA INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR went to Tommy Emmanuel for Wheelin’ And Dealin’. BLUEGRASS RECORDING OF THE YEAR went to Kristy Cox for Ricochet.
Fanny Lumsden’s Elastic Waistband, directed by Anna Phillips and Sam Brumby was awarded CMC VIDEO OF THE YEAR.
Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart featuring the late Karl Broadie picked up the REGIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR. Outstanding singer/songwriters in their own right, the trio – Kevin Bennett, Lyn Bowtell and Felicity Urquhart performed Every Hello from their latest album Weeds. Their performance was a moving tribute to their friend and collaborator, the late Karl Broadie.
Following an outstanding career spanning over 30 years, James Blundell was honoured with the industry’s most prestigious award – the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown. The award was presented by 37- time Golden Guitar winning artist Lee Kernaghan and Tamworth Country Music Festival co-founder Max Ellis.
“The diversity of talent across the country music industry is well represented tonight. It’s an exciting time for Australian country music,” Dan Biddle, chair of the Country Music Association of Australia said.
Toyota Australia’s Chief Marketing Officer, Wayne Gabriel said, “On behalf of Toyota Australia, we’d like to congratulate all of the finalists and winners of the 2019 Golden Guitar Awards on their achievements.
“Toyota has been a proud supporter of the Country Music Festival in Tamworth for over 27 years.
Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said, “The Toyota Country Music Festival is recognised world-wide and Tamworth is the heart of Australian country music.
“Through Destination NSW, we will continue to support events such as this. They are incredibly important for our economy and bring enormous benefit to Tamworth and NSW year-round.”
The 47th Toyota Golden Guitar Awards were hosted by Adam Brand and Amber Lawrence.
The 47th Country Music Awards of Australia – the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards are proudly supported by Toyota, the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, APRA AMCOS, Country Music Capital News, QANTAS, Regional Australia Bank, Coca-Cola and the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA).
The Toyota Golden Guitar Awards are the only industry affiliated country music awards in Australia and the greatest celebration of Australian country music talent. The awards are the pinnacle event of the Toyota Country Music Festival, Tamworth.
47th COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS OF AUSTRALIA WINNERS
2019 TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR: COUNTRY HEART
The Wolfe Brothers | Producer: Matt Fell
Sanity Top Selling Album of the Year: Graffiti U
Keith Urban
Alt Country Album of the Year: Call Out For The Cavalry
Andrew Swift | Producer: Matt Fell
Contemporary Country Album of the Year: Country Heart
The Wolfe Brothers | Producer: Matt Fell
Traditional Country Album of the Year: Campfire
Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples
Producers: Kasey Chambers, Jordan Power, Brandon Dodd, Bill Chambers, Alan Pigram
Male Artist of the Year: Travis Collins
Brave & The Broken
Female Artist of the Year: Beccy Cole
Lioness
Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year: The Wolfe Brothers
Country Heart
Regional Australia Bank Vocal Collaboration of the Year:
Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart feat Karl Broadie
Every Hello
Qantas New Talent of the Year: Andrew Swift
Runaway Train
APRA AMCOS Song of the Year: Ain’t Seen It Yet
The Wolfe Brothers | Songwriters: Tom Wolfe, Nick Wolfe, Brodie Rainbird, Erik Dylan
Heritage Song of the Year: Shadows On The Hill
Troy Cassar-Daley | Songwriter: Troy Cassar-Daley
Single of the Year: Day Drunk
Morgan Evans
Bush Ballad of the Year: Please Don't Forget Me
John Williamson | Songwriter: John Williamson
Bluegrass Recording of the Year: Ricochet
Kristy Cox
CMC Video of the Year: Elastic Waistband
Fanny Lumsden | Directors: Anna Phillips and Sam Brumby
Coca Cola Instrumental of the Year: Wheelin’ And Dealin’
Tommy Emmanuel
TOYOTA GOLDEN GUITAR AWARDS BACKGROUND:
The Awards were first held in 1973 in Tamworth, one of New South Wales' major regional centres, around the same time the city began promoting itself as Australia's Home of Country Music. Since they began, the Awards have played the key role in developing and promoting Australian country music. Under the CMAA, they continue to grow and develop as the primary focus for country music in Australia.
Originally, the Awards were staged in the historic Tamworth Town Hall with a capacity audience of around 1,000. Over the years, the Awards venue has ranged from school halls to a giant 'big top' and converted factory. Since 1999, they have been presented in Country Music Capital's $6 million Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Conference Centre (TRECC) in front of a capacity audience of 5,000 fans, artists, industry people, and visitors.
THE GOLDEN GUITAR TROPHY: Today the famous Golden Guitar trophies, which sparkle on the stage at the Country Music Awards Of Australia, are recognised all over the nation as a symbol of country music and Tamworth. Over forty years ago they were just an idea. In late 1972, 2TM‘s Mr. Hoedown, John Minson, and 2TM Station Manager, Max Ellis agreed the trophy would have to be rock solid and truly representative of country music. After deciding on the concept of a bronze guitar, local artist Harry Frost was commissioned to produce a detailed design based on a semi cut-away, dual pick-up, hollow-bodied guitar. It was a recognition of both traditional design, and modern amplified electric guitar. The finished trophy stands 24cm high (with base) and weighs 1.5kgs.