"I’m over the moon to be nominated for Alt Country Album of the Year": Gretta Ziller on Golden Guitar Awards

The 2018 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards –  the 46th Country Music Awards of Australia – will see new Album of the Year categories.

They are for Contemporary Country Album of the Year and Traditional Country Album of the Year – which along with the Alt Country Album of the Year, will see the winners from these categories vie for the overall Country Music Album of the Year award to be announced in Tamworth, NSW, in January.

The new categories were announced, along with this year’s finalists, by Tamworth Regional Council and the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) at a star-studded event at ABC Studios in Sydney, hosted by Adam Eckersley and Brooke McClymont.

Leading the finalists with six nominations each were Kasey Chambers, The McClymonts, and Travis Collins & Amber Lawrence (collaborating on their first album Our Backyard).

The Bushwackers had five, while Lee Kernaghan, Shane Nicholson, and The Davidson Brothers were up for four apiece.

Up for three berths each was this year’s New Talent winner Fanny Lumsden and newcomer Brad Butcher.

Rising star Gretta Ziller (pictured) is also a finalist in the Alt-Country Album of the Year category for her critically acclaimed debut, Queen of Boomtown. The record was produced by New Zealand-born and Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Paul Ruske.

“I wanted to make an album that I’d still be proud of in 20 years time. I’m honoured and I’m proud of Queen of Boomtown and I’m over the moon to be nominated for Alt Country Album of the Year,” Ziller tells TMN of her nomination.

Other multi-nominees included Adam Brand, Ashleigh Dallas, O’Shea, Tania Kernaghan, Darren Coggan, Matt Cornell and Tom Curtain.

See www.tcmf.com.au for the full list.

CMAA Chairman Dobe Newton explained the category changes, “With the many different styles and genres of country music being performed and enjoyed today, the decision to introduce new Album of the Year categories ensures the album awards are more inclusive, and creates further opportunities to welcome more artists who work in country music into the Awards.

“The finalists in the 2018 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards are testaments to this and today’s finalists’ announcement has demonstrated the quality and depth of talent we have in Australian country music across a range of genres, with many artists receiving their first nomination and others multiple nominations. 

“The event has certainly set the stage for an incredible showcase in Tamworth on January 27 when we announce the winners.”

The Golden Guitar Awards are supported by Toyota, the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, APRA AMCOS, Country Music Capital News, QANTASLINK, Regional Australia Bank, Coca-Cola and the CMAA.

They are held at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre, are held as part of the  Toyota Country Music Festival, held from Friday 19 to Sunday 28.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the NSW Government was proud to support such a renowned regional event.

“The Tamworth Country Music Festival is recognised worldwide, attracting significant overnight visitation to the State and delivering important economic and community benefits,” he said.

“It’s an absolute standout on our NSW Events Calendar and we look forward to welcoming the many artists and visitors to the region next year for 10 days of great entertainment and regional NSW hospitality.”