Cream of Aussie country music announced for awards

The cream of Australia’s country music scene have been tapped as performers and presenters for the 42nd Country Music Awards of Australia.

They are held Saturday January 25 at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Conference Centre (TRECC), and hosted by sibling act The McClymonts.

Lee Kernaghan, Sara Storer, Wolfe Bros and Luke O’Shea are among the main presenters. Also on the list are Kaylee Bell, Kaylens Rain, The Adam Eckersley Band, Mustered Courage/Pete Denahy, Ashley Dallas, Lachlan Bryan and Jasmine Rae.

To be announced is “a special performance presentation on the night saluting an Australian icon.”

Presenters on the night include Beccy Cole, Catherine Britt, Troy Cassar-Daley, McAlister Kemp, Aleyce Simmonds, Adam Harvey, NSW premier Barry O’Farrel, The Sunny Cowboys, Morgan Evans, Chelsea Basham, John Williamson, Tamara Stewart, Col Buchanan, Melinda Schneider, Joy McKean, Dobe Newton, Anne Kirkpatrick, Felicity Urquhart, Shane Nicholson, Luke Austen and The Flying Emus. Col Buchnan and Tamara Stewart will also be entertaining the red carpet arrivals.

As part of the event, Ted Egan AO, gets a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The awards are part of the Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival (January 16 to 26) during which 800 artists will play 4,000 shows. It is said to be the second largest country music festival in the world, drawing 50,000 from around the world. Among the events is a star-studded tribute to Slim Dusty – of whom a bronze statue will be unveiled – alongside his singer wife Joy McKean.