The 2025 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards: A Celebration of Australian Country Music
By Phillip Doring for Country Music News International Magazine
The 2025 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards are set to take place on Saturday, January 25th, 2025, at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Events Centre in Tamworth, New South Wales. This prestigious event, presented by Tamworth Regional Council, stands as Australia’s longest-running music awards ceremony, celebrating and fostering the growth of the nation’s vibrant country music scene since its inception in 1973.
A History of Excellence:
The Golden Guitar Awards have played a pivotal role in shaping the Australian country music landscape. Over the decades, the awards have recognized and championed the talents of countless artists, from legendary figures to emerging stars. They have provided a platform for showcasing exceptional songwriting, musicianship, and artistry, while also contributing to the ongoing evolution of the genre.
A Night of Recognition:
The 2025 ceremony promises to be another spectacular event, with a diverse range of talented artists vying for coveted Golden Guitars across a wide array of categories.
Toyota Golden Guitar Finalist are as follows :
Single of the Year
- Backbone (The Desert Child) – Kasey Chambers
- Let’s Ride – Troy Cassar-Daley
- Little By Little – The Wolfe Brothers
- Little More Country – Max Jackson
- Who I Am – Lee Kernaghan & James Johnston
CMT Video of the Year
- Backbone (The Desert Child) – Kasey Chambers – Directed by Rosemary Whatmuff
- Daharwal – Luke O’Shea – Directed by Luke O’Shea and Jay Seeney, Blacklist Productions
- Little More Country – Max Jackson – Directed by Jeremy Minett, Eyes & Ears Creative
- What Are You Waiting For – Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley – Directed by Jeremy Minett, Eyes & Ears Creative
- Who I Am – Lee Kernaghan & James Johnston – Directed by Duncan Toombs, The Filmery
Vocal Collaboration of the Year
- The Wolfe Brothers & Kaylee Bell – Beer in A Bar
- Amber Lawrence & Andrew Swift – Fumes & Fireworks
- Travis Collins & The Wolfe Brothers – Runnin’ The Country
- Colin Buchanan & Michael Waugh – Sing Me the Land
- Graeme Connors & Kelly Dixon – The Ringer’s Retired
- Lee Kernaghan & James Johnston – Who I Am
Instrumental of the Year
- Gold Fever – Michael Carpenter & The Banks Brothers
- Jet – Kingswood
- Kill Devil Road – Phil Doublet
- The Red Centre – Lindsay Waddington feat Brendan Radford
- Wild Running – Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes
Bluegrass Recording of the Year
- Back To The Hills – The High Street Drifters
- Let it Burn – Kristy Cox
- Paspalum – Angus Gill
- Running Out Of Gas – Michael Carpenter & The Banks Brothers with Abbie Ferris and Hamish Davidson
- Tell Me A Story – Kingswood
Heritage Song of the Year
- Backbone (The Desert Child) – Written and Recorded by Kasey Chambers
- Be A Part Of This Land – Written and Recorded by John Williamson
- Father’s Day – Written and Recorded by Michael Waugh
- The Ringer’s Retired – Written and Recorded by Graeme Connors & Kelly Dixon
- Windradyne – Written and Recorded by Troy Cassar-Daley
Bush Ballad of the Year
- A Big Thing In A Small Town – Written by Dean Perrett, Paul Ricketts, Lachie McLaine – Recorded by Dean Perrett
- He Loves His Radio – Written by Allan Caswell, Manfred Vijars, Lindsay Waddington – Recorded by Allan Caswell
- Laura & Giselle – Written and Recorded by Colin Buchanan
- Talk Around Taromeo – Written by Ian Quinn – Recorded by The Bushwackers
- The Lone Drover – Written by Andy Penkow, Kath Stewart, Rip-Van Parks – Recorded by Andy Penkow
New Talent of the Year
- Denvah
- Dylan Wright
- Lane Pittman
- Wade Forster
- Zac & George
Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year
- Darlinghurst
- Michael Carpenter & The Banks Brothers
- The Pleasures
- Small Town Romance
- Zac & George
Male Artist of the Year
- Adam Harvey
- Casey Barnes
- Lane Pittman
- Michael Waugh
- Troy Cassar-Daley
Female Artist of the Year
- Ashleigh Dallas
- Kaylee Bell
- Max Jackson
- Taylor Moss
- Tori Forsyth
Song of the Year
- Backbone (The Desert Child) – Written and Recorded by Kasey Chambers
- Little By Little – Written by Nicholas Wolfe – Recorded by The Wolfe Brothers
- Remember Me – Written by Adam Harvey & Mike Carr – Recorded by Adam Harvey
- Some Days – Written by Troy Cassar-Daley, Kevin Bennett – Recorded by Troy Cassar-Daley
- Who I Am – Written by Lee Kernaghan, James Johnston, Nicholas Wolfe, Colin Buchanan, Nolan Wynne – Recorded by Lee Kernaghan & James Johnston
Alt/Americana Country Album of the Year
- All We Have Is Who We Are – Tori Forsyth – Produced by Scott Horscroft
- Beauty & Truth – Michael Waugh – Produced by Shane Nicholson
- Between The Fires – Troy Cassar-Daley – Produced by Troy Cassar-Daley, Jeff McCormack and Jordan Power
- The Four Seasons – Henry Wagons – Produced by Henry Wagons
- Young Dumb & Wild – Andy Golledge – Produced by Ryan Miller and Oliver Thorpe
Contemporary Country Album of the Year
- Firecracker – Taylor Moss – Produced by MSquared – Michael Paynter and Michael De Lorenzis
- Mayday – Casey Barnes – Produced by MSquared – Michael Paynter and Michael De Lorenzis
- Moonshine – Jayne Denham – Produced by Brian White and Brian Bunn
- Shades On Me – Andy Penkow – Produced by Shawn Moore
- What A Time To Be Alive – Raechel Whitchurch – Produced by Matt Fell
Traditional Country Album of the Year
- Let it Burn – Kristy Cox – Produced by Jerry Salley
- Memory Town – Colin Buchanan – Produced by Matt Fell
- Setting Suns – Ashleigh Dallas – Produced by Brett Dallas
- The Singing Stockman – William Alexander – Produced by Patrick Wilson
- The Tale of G.C.Townes – Kingswood – Produced by Alexander Laska
Toyota Album of the Year
- All We Have Is Who We Are – Tori Forsyth – Produced by Scott Horscroft
- Beauty & Truth – Michael Waugh – Produced by Shane Nicholson
- Between The Fires – Troy Cassar-Daley – Produced by Troy Cassar-Daley, Jeff McCormack and Jordan Power
- Firecracker – Taylor Moss – Produced by MSquared – Michael Paynter and Michael De Lorenzis
- Let it Burn – Kristy Cox – Produced by Jerry Salley
- Mayday – Casey Barnes – Produced by MSquared – Michael Paynter and Michael De Lorenzis
- Memory Town – Colin Buchanan – Produced by Matt Fell
- Moonshine – Jayne Denham – Produced by Brian White and Brian Bunn
- Setting Suns – Ashleigh Dallas – Produced by Brett Dallas
- Shades On Me – Andy Penkow – Produced by Shawn Moore
- The Four Seasons – Henry Wagons – Produced by Henry Wagons
- The Singing Stockman – William Alexander – Produced by Patrick Wilson
- The Tale of G.C.Townes – Kingswood – Produced by Alexander Laska
- What A Time To Be Alive – Raechel Whitchurch – Produced by Matt Fell
- Young Dumb & Wild – Andy Golledge – Produced by Ryan Miller and Oliver Thorpe