:: Spotlight :: 35th Country Music Awards of Australia

By: Carmine Pascuzzi

Lee Kernaghan, Beccy Cole, Adam Brand, Anne Kirkpatrick and Melinda Schneider led the way when finalists in the 35th Country Music Awards of Australia were announced at Luna Park, Sydney recently.

Entering its 35th year, the Country Music Awards of Australia is Australia's longest running music awards concert, and 2007 is shaping up to being one of the biggest. Many of this year’s finalists will be directly involved as either performers or presenters on the night.

The 35th Country Music Awards of Australia will be held at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre on Saturday, January 27, 2007.

The list of finalists is as follows:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

My Life – Felicity Urquhart
Stronger – Melinda Schneider
The New Bush – Lee Kernaghan
Too Far Gone – Catherine Britt
What A Life – Adam Brand

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Adam Brand – Open Ended Heartache
Travis Collins – Full Tank
Graeme Connors – Louisa
Lee Kernaghan – The New Bush
Michael O’Rourke – The Hat

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Catherine Britt – Too Far Gone
Beccy Cole – Poster Girl (Wrong Side Of The World)
Anne Kirkpatrick – Showman’s Daughter
Melinda Schneider – Big World Small World
Felicity Urquhart – Big Black Cloud

GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR

Carter & Carter – Ride
The Flood – 2003
Camille Te Nahu & Stuie French – Let’s Make A Family
The McClymonts – Something That My Heart Does
The Sunny Cowgirls – Six Pack Short

VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR

Allan Caswell & Drew McAlister – A Little Bit Of Country In Us All
Bill Chambers & Kevin Bennett – Big River
Anita Ree & Tracy Coster – Itching Feet
Matt Scullion & Lawrie Minson – Hard Earned Money
Jeanette Wormald & Peter Pratt – Out Here

BUSH BALLAD OF THE YEAR

Bush Girls’ Heart – Anita Ree
Down The Bucketts Road – Glenn Jones
Peppimenarti Cradle – Anne Kirkpatrick
What Country’s All About – Graham Rodger
Would Clancy Be Welcome? – Dean Perrett

HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR

Close As A Whisper (The Gift) – Lee Kernaghan
Poster Girl (Wrong Side Of The World) – Beccy Cole
The Battle Of Long Tan – Graham Rodger
The Hat – Michael O’Rourke
Women Of The West – Anne Kirkpatrick

INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR

Gameshow Rag/Cannonball Rag – Tommy Emmanuel
Mister Sandman – Stuie French
Redliner – Travis Collins
Scrub Turkey – Davidson Brothers
Triona Akba – Mike Kerin

NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR

Donna Boyd – A Good Day
Katie Brianna – Jindabyne Fair
Nik Phillips – Not In This Life
Cat Southern – Last First Kiss
The McClymonts – Something That My Heart Does

VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR

Big Black Cloud – Felicity Urquhart
Big World Small World – Melinda Schneider
Listen To The Radio – Lee Kernaghan
Permission To Breathe – Gemma Doyle
Poster Girl (Wrong Side Of The World) – Beccy Cole

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

Big World Small World – Melinda Schneider
Open Ended Heartache – Adam Brand
Poster Girl (Wrong Side Of The World) – Beccy Cole
The New Bush – Lee Kernaghan
Too Far Gone – Catherine Britt

APRA SONG OF THE YEAR

2003 – The Flood
Life Will Bring You Home – Adam Brand
Poster Girl (Wrong Side Of The World) – Beccy Cole
Showman’s Daughter – Anne Kirkpatrick
The New Bush – Lee Kernaghan