The Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) is thrilled to announce seven time 2010 nominee, Troy Cassar-Daley leads the list of artists announced today to perform at the 38th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, presented by Jayco to be held at Tamworth’s Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC) on Saturday, 23rd January, 2010.

Also announced as performers at what is the 2010 Tamworth Country Music Festival's pinnacle event is bright newcomer, Harmony James, who is nominated for two Awards including the prestigious Album of the Year, three time nominees Adam Brand and Amber Lawrence and four time Golden Guitar trophy winners The McClymonts who will also host the Awards for the very first time.

The McClymont sisters said “To host the 2010 CMAA Country Music Awards is a huge honour for us. The Awards event is a highlight on the country music calendar every year and we have been watching these Awards since we were little kids. To be hosting them next year is very exciting for the three of us. We will be nervous but we will give it our best shot!”

They will join Lee Kernaghan and Kasey Chambers, Poppa Bill and the Little Hillbillies who were announced last week, on stage as performers.

Also announced today is that tickets for the 38th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, presented by Jayco, which is undeniably the biggest night in Australian Country Music, will go on sale at 9.00am on Monday, 23 November, 2009, to the general public and can be purchased online from Tourism Tamworth at  www.tcmf.com.au or by calling 02 6767 5300.

Further performer & presenter details will be announced for the 38th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, presented by Jayco over the coming weeks. For a full list of nominees, click here.

The 2010 Tamworth Country Music Festival will take place 15th-24th January, 2010.

For more information, details or tickets please call 02 6767 5300 or log onto www.tcmf.com.au

CMAA MEMBERS PLEASE NOTE: Ticketing information for Platinum and Gold Members seating will be sent to you shortly. This seating is not for sale to the General Public.

The 2010 Tamworth Country Music Festival was launched in Sydney’s Darlinghurst today in conjunction with the announcement of finalists in the 38th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, presented by Jayco.

Tamworth Mayor James Treloar promised next January’s annual Music Festival and Awards would continue to be a benchmark for entertainment.

“We now have a unified approach to the Festival, locking in the key partners, including  Tamworth Council, Tourism Tamworth, the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) and Events NSW, and we have a determination that Tamworth is the place to be in January 2010”.

According to Events NSW CEO, Geoff Parmenter, Tamworth Country Music Festival and the CMAA Country Music Awards tick all the boxes in terms of delivering marketing, economic and community benefits.

“Events NSW is committed to establishing an event development strategy that will increase the status of the Festival and nationally and internationally and increase the reputation of Tamworth as Australia’s spiritual home of country music. Together with all the partners we will build the next generation of Festival growth.”

The prestigious CMAA Country Music Awards Australia, presented by Jayco, will be handed out on January 23 next year in Tamworth as the climax to the annual country music extravaganza that draws more than 50,000 visitors and delivers over 2,500 scheduled performances with 70% being free.

This year’s finalists from the eclectic world of Australia country music is a beguiling mix of established stars and shooting stars rising to the challenge of maintaining the exceptional creativity of the Golden Guitars.

At the star studded launch, acclaimed singer-songwriter Troy Cassar-Daley opened the show with an acoustic performance before blazing his way into the finals of the 38th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia with an astonishing seven nominations across a wide range of categories.

Cassar-Daley has been nominated for six individual “Golden Guitars” including the big four: Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and APRA Song of the Year. He has also been nominated for Vocal Collaboration of the Year with The McClymonts for Ain’t Gonna Change for You, Heritage Song of the Year and Video Clip of the Year.

International superstar Keith Urban is up for four Awards, Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year and APRA Song of the Year.

The always popular 2009 Dancing with the Stars winner, Adam Brand, who’s currently alternating between performing in Australia and recording in Nashville, has three nominations: Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Single of the Year.

Paul Costa forced open a door at the highest level of recognition with his song Survivor 1932 and is a finalist in the Male Artist of the Year, Heritage Song of the Year and APRA Song of the Year categories.

Finalists for the first time in the Album of the Year areHarmony James and Jetty Road which includes identical twins Lee and Paula Bowman in the line-up. Jetty Road also received nominations in the Single of the Year and for Group or Duo of the Year categories.

Finalists in the Female Artist of the Year include well known previous winner Tania Kernaghan and the always celebrated singer-songwriter, Felicity Urquhart. Felicity is also nominated for APRA Song of the Year which she co-wrote. 

They will be up against talented newcomers whose early promise has now matured into making them crowd-pleasing drawcards, Amber Lawrence, Lianna Rose and Harmony James. Lawrence is also in the final for Video Clip of the Year.

Bush Ballad of the Year is a close knit affair for the first family of Australian country music, the Kernaghan's with their song, Droving Cattle With The Boys, receiving a finals place.

The always effervescent, The McClymonts, have been nominated for three Awards: Single of the Year, Video Clip of the Year and Vocal Collaboration of the Year with Troy Cassar-Daley.

Veterans The Bushwackers, are back in the spotlight with three nominations: Bush Ballad of the Year, Fender Instrumental of the Year and Group or Duo of the Year.

Chairman of the Country Music Association of Australia Rod Laing, praised the standards of the finalists in all categories, saying it underlined the overall quality of our performers.

“Australia can be proud of the country music we create and perform in this country” he said.

“It is world class. We see that with the regular acceptance overseas of our performers like Keith Urban, Catherine Britt and so many others. This year’s finalists and the wide range of singers and songwriters just waiting for a chance confirms that country music in Australia has never been stronger.”

Kasey Chambers, Poppa Bill and the Little Hillbillies were announced as confirmed performers on the Awards stage as was 2008 Australian of the Year, Lee Kernaghan.

For a full list of Finalists please see below.

The 2010 Tamworth Country Music Festival will take place 15th-24th January, 2010. The 38th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, presented by Jayco will take place at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre on Saturday 23rd January, 2010.

For more information, details or tickets please log onto www.tcmf.com.au

Finalists in the 38th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia

Album of the Year:
Defying Gravity – Keith Urban, produced by Dann Huff (USA) & Keith Urban
Hell of A Ride – Adam Brand, produced by Richard Landis (USA)
I Love This Place – Troy Cassar-Daley, produced by Rod McCormack, Troy Cassar-Daley & Jeff McCormack
Life At A Million Miles – Jetty Road, produced by Julian Sammut & Mark Moffat
Tailwind – Harmony James, produced by Herm Kovac

Male Artist of the Year:
James Blundell – Good Wood
Adam Brand – Hell Of A Ride
Troy Cassar-Daley - I Love This Place
Paul Costa – Survivor 1932
Keith Urban – Kiss A Girl

Female Artist of the Year:
Harmony James – Precious Little
Tania Kernaghan – Second Time Around
Amber Lawrence – When It All Comes Down
Lianna Rose – Angels
Felicity Urquhart – Roller Coaster

Group or Duo of the Year:
Carter & Carter – Surviving Black Saturday
Davidson Brothers – A Showman’s Life
Jetty Road – Life at A Million Miles
The Bobkatz – The Long Haul
The Bushwackers – The Good Old Days

Vocal Collaboration of the Year:
Tangerine Sky – Australian Country Music Unites
Ain’t Gonna Change For You – Troy Cassar-Daley & The McClymonts
King Of The Road – Adam Harvey & John Williamson
Courageous – Melinda Schneider & Australian Girls Choir
You’ve Got A Friend – Songbirds (Gina Jeffreys, Beccy Cole & Sara Storer)

Bush Ballad of the Year:
Droving Cattle with the Boys – written by T Kernaghan/F Kernaghan, recorded by Tania Kernaghan
Old Black Quart – written by Coster/Coster/Quinn/Pritchard/Corbett, recorded by Tracy Coster
The Dust of Kalkadoon – written by Ian Quinn, recorded by Dean Perrett
The First Lady of Country – written by Graham Rodger/Deirdre Willmington, recorded by Graham Rodger
The Road To Thargomindah – written by Colin Buchanan, recorded by the Bushwackers

Heritage Song of the Year:
Chasin’ Rodeo – written and recorded by Troy Cassar-Daley
Surviving Black Saturday – written by David Carter/Merelyn Carter, recorded by Carter and Carter
Survivor 1932 – written by Costa/Costa/McCormack, recorded by Paul Costa
Tangerine Sky – written by Tamara Stewart, recorded by Australian Country Music Unites
When I Was A Boy – written and recorded by Greg Storer and Sara Storer

Fender Instrumental of the Year:
Flying Pig – The Bushwackers
Fox On The Freeway – Davidson Brothers
It’s Not Easy – Joe Robinson
Jolly Swagman – Tommy Emmanuel
Waiting At The Station – Lawrie Minson

Maton New Talent of the Year:
Victoria Baillie – Make Me
Liam Brew – Girls With Girlfriends
Jayne Denham – Shake This Town
Ronni Rae Rivers – Running On Fumes
Lianna Rose – Jack

APRA Song of the Year:
Big Big Love – written and recorded by Troy Cassar-Daley
Girl In The Mall – written by Felicity Urquhart/Mark Seymour, recorded by Felicity Urquhart
Survivor 1932 – written by Costa/Costa/McCormack, recorded by Paul Costa
When It All Comes Down – written and recorded by Amber Lawrence
Why’s It Feel So Long – written and recorded by Keith Urban

Video Clip of the Year:
Big Big Love – Troy Cassar Daley, directed by Ross Wood
Don’t Do Lonely Well – Amber Lawrence, directed by Glenn Wilson
I Want My Tractor Back – Lianna Rose, directed by Ross Wood
Kick It Up – The McClymonts, directed by Myles Conti
When I Was A Boy – Greg Storer & Sara Storer, directed by Duncan Toombs

Single of the Year:
Big Big Love – Troy Cassar-Daley
Kiss A Girl – Keith Urban
Million Miles – Jetty Road
Ready For Love – Adam Brand
Shotgun – The McClymonts