Australia’s longest-running music awards have arguably become our most iconic.
Kickstarted in 1973 (as the Australasian Country Music Awards) the Golden Guitar Awards are a highlight every year of the Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival and have been described as the pinnacle of Australian country music.
Country’s always been cool in Tamworth and as such the 2025 awards will be co-hosted by rising Australian country music artists James Johnston and Max Jackson, who each won the Best New Talent category in 2022 and 2024 respectively.
Both feature in the nominations list: Johnston’s collaboration with Lee Kernaghan, “Who I Am”, is up for four awards (Single of the Year, CMT Video of the Year, Vocal Collaboration of the Year, Song of the Year), while Jackson is nominated for three (Single of the Year – “Little More Country”, CMT Video of the Year, Female Artist of the Year).
Leading the tally for the 2025 awards is Troy Cassar-Daley with six while Kasey Chambers and Kingswood each gained four nominations. The Wolfe Brothers, Michael Carpenter & the Banks Brothers and Casey Barnes are also nominated for three awards apiece.
“Co-hosting the Golden Guitar Awards is another full circle moment for me,” James Johnston recently told Rolling Stone AU/NZ.
“I used to go over the range and go to the festival every year. It was the family holiday. We’d spend a week in town where I’d be busking on the streets, and the family would stay in a little shack.
“Tamworth holds so many amazing memories for me. One of the big things that I used to love was the flags down the main street with all the artists’ names as you drove into town. I remember the day that I got my first flag, and that was a really big accomplishment and then I got to win my first Golden Guitar two years ago for New Talent of the Year.
“So to now be hosting the awards? It feels pretty special.”
More than simply an awards show, the Golden Guitar Awards is an event to celebrate country music and the efforts of hard-working musicians, songwriters, producers and all industry practitioners in the midst of a star-studded concert atmosphere that captures the diversity of country music in Australia.
Presented by Tamworth Regional Council, the 53rd Golden Guitar Awards take place on Sunday, January 25th at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Events Centre. Get your tickets from tcmf.com.au and dress in your country finest.
