Australian country music trailblazers and industry icons were recognised and celebrated last night at the 2022 Toyota 50th Golden Guitar Awards in Tamworth, NSW.
Top winner for the night was Island Records Artist, Shane Nicholson, who took home four awards from his five nominations. Nicholson’s 9th studio album Living in Colour saw him take out Alt Country Album of the Year and the highly coveted Toyota Album of the Year. His track And You Will Have Your Way was crowned APRA AMCOS Song of the Year and Apple Music Single of the Year, with Nicholson also taking to the stage to perform his award-winning song.
In an historic night, Troy Cassar-Daley was named Male Artist of the Year. His album The World Today claimed gold in the Top Selling Album of the Year category, while his track South with Ian Moss was named Vocal Collaboration of the Year. Troy has now claimed 40 Golden Guitar Awards, surpassing fellow country legends Slim Dusty and Lee Kernaghan, to claim the greatest number of Golden Guitars Awards ever won by an individual artist. The accomplished artist also performed Back On Country, the lead-single from his award-winning album The World Today.
The Wolfe Brothers were crowned Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year and their nostalgic album Kids on Cassette took out theContemporary Country Album of the Year. The Wolfe Brothers treated crowds at the 50th Golden Guitar Awards to a special performance of Something Good’s Gonna Happen, with special guest Amy Sheppard.
Tamworth local, Ashleigh Dallas took home two awards from her two nominations. She was crowned Female Artist of the Year, while her track with Luke O’Shea, Long Way ‘Round took out CMT Video of the Year, which was co-directed by Jay Seeney and Luke O’Shea.
Country-folk artists, The Weeping Willows also picked up two awards from their two nominations, with their single Black Crow named Bluegrass Recording of the Year, which the duo performed live on stage at the Awards. Their track Southern Gothic was also crowned Coca-Cola Instrumental of the Year, taking their total number of Golden Guitar wins to three.
Toyota 50th Golden Guitar co-host and performer, Adam Harvey took home his ninth Golden Guitar Award, with his 15th-studio album Songs From Highway One named Traditional Country Album of the Year. While singer-songwriter Angus Gill’s The Easy Way took out Bush Ballad of the Year, which was co-written with Manfred Vijars.
Australian country-pop group Darlinghurst was crowned New Talent of the Year for their track Where Do We Go, which the group also performed at the awards, while alt-country singer-songwriter, Michael Waugh took out Heritage Song of the Year for the title-track track off his fourth-studio album Dirty River.
While recognising nominees and winners and celebrating the success and resilience of Australia’s dynamic country music industry, the Toyota 50thGolden Guitar Awards was also a moment to honour and acknowledge on of Australia’s most successful and versatile entertainers, awards co-host Beccy Cole. Announced as the 2022 inductee into the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown – country music’s Hall of Fame, Beccy joins previous inductees Kasey Chambers, Lee Kernaghan, Slim Dusty, and John Williamson. She has won 11 Golden Guitar Awards and released 10 studio albums.
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 on the Australian country music calendar and are presented LIVE by Tamworth Regional Council and the Country Music Association of Australia.
A 90-minute highlights programme of the Toyota 50th Golden Guitar Awards will be aired on ABC TV on Sunday, April 24 at 2.30pm. It will also air on ABC Australia across many Asian and Island countries at various times.
We encourage everyone to save the date for 51st Toyota Country Music Festival, Tamworth, set to take place from 13 – 22 January 2023. For more information and to keep up to date head to www.tcmf.com.au/awards.
2022 TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR
LIVING IN COLOUR: Shane Nicholson | Producer: Shane Nicholson
Alt Country Album of the Year: LIVING IN COLOUR
Shane Nicholson | Producer: Shane Nicholson
Contemporary Country Album of the Year: KIDS ON CASSETTE
The Wolfe Brothers | Producers: Nick Wolfe, Matt Fell, Lindsay Rimes,
Johnny Gasparic, Scott Bradley Steven, Patrick James
Traditional Country Album of the Year: SONGS FROM HIGHWAY ONE
Adam Harvey | Producer: Adam Harvey
Male Artist of the Year: TROY CASSAR-DALEY
Female Artist of the Year: ASHLEIGH DALLAS
Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year: THE WOLFE BROTHERS
Vocal Collaboration of the Year: TROY CASSAR-DALEY & IAN MOSS
South (feat Ian Moss)
Bush Ballad of the Year: THE EASY WAY
Angus Gill | Songwriters: Angus Gill & Manfred Vijars
Heritage Song of the Year: DIRTY RIVER
Michael Waugh | Songwriter: Michael Waugh
Coca-Cola Instrumental of the Year: SOUTHERN GOTHIC
The Weeping Willows
Bluegrass Recording of the Year: BLACK CROW
The Weeping Willows
New Talent of the Year: DARLINGHURST
Where Do We Go
APRA AMCOS Song of the Year: AND YOU WILL HAVE YOUR WAY
Shane Nicholson | Songwriter: Shane Nicholson
CMT Video of the Year: LONG WAY ‘ROUND
Luke O’Shea (feat Ashleigh Dallas) | Directors: Jay Seeney and Luke O’Shea
Apple Music Single of the Year: AND YOU WILL HAVE YOUR WAY
Shane Nicholson
Top Selling Album of the Year: THE WORLD TODAY
Troy Cassar-Daley