“Absolutely you do,” the one and only Dolly Parton said when Rolling Stone AU/NZ told her that Australia has a wonderful country music scene.
In late January, the current strength of country music Down Under will be celebrated at the 2024 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards.
Greats of Australian country music will head to Australia’s capital of country music, Tamworth, on January 27th, but when the finalists were unveiled last month, it became clear that next year’s Golden Guitar Awards will be a wonderful showcase of the exciting up-and-coming generation of Australian country music artists.
A record-equalling 762 entries were received for the 2024 edition, highlighting the wealth of talent currently making country music in Australia.
With an impressive six nominations apiece, James Johnston, Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham, Travis Collins, and The Wolfe Brothers will be looking forward to a potential big night at January’s ceremony.
“I’m still trying to figure out what’s working at the moment, but I’ve been having an incredible run of people coming to my shows and people singing my songs,” Johnston told ABC when the nominations were announced. “It’s incredible to see where country music is going at the moment. It is in such a healthy place, and there is so much young talent coming through.”
Plenty of Golden Guitar regulars appear in the 2024 nominations list, including ARIA winner Fanny Lumsden, who’s aiming to win Alternative Country Album of the Year and Female Artist of the Year.
And there’s also plenty of local Tamworth talent up for awards, including 2023 Rising Star Loren Ryan, nominated for New Talent of the Year. You can view the full list of nominations here.
The Golden Guitar Awards, presented by Tamworth Regional Council and Toyota Australia, are Australia’s longest-running music awards concert. From 1973 until now, the Golden Guitar Awards have proudly honoured the best and brightest of Australian country music, and it will be no different for the 52nd edition, which as always will mark the culmination of the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
The 2024 ceremony will be hosted by Tania Kernaghan, winner of four Golden Guitar Awards in the ’90s, and The X Factor Australia runner-up Jason Owen, and the pair should have great chemistry on the night: they’ve collaborated several times together, including on the 2023 single “Let Your Love Flow”.
The 2024 Golden Guitar Awards are set to be a thrilling night of live music, memorable moments, and non-stop entertainment. Some of the best Australian country music artists will perform during the ceremony, and with five decades’ of experience in the concert game, expect a spectacular show from the Golden Guitar organisers.
The 2024 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards will be held on Saturday, January 27th 2024. More information can be found here.
