The Tamworth Festival

☀️ Sun, Song, and Success: The Tamworth Festival – Where Australian Country Music Dreams Ignite

By Phillip Doring for Country Music News International Magazine

Each January, as the Australian summer hits its peak, the heat isn’t the only thing soaring. It’s the annual return of the Tamworth Country Music Festival—a vibrant, dusty, and passionately-charged pilgrimage that turns the New South Wales regional city into the undisputed Country Music Capital of Australia.

The mercury climbs, making a cold can and a backyard barbie an absolute necessity, but the true heat is generated by the thousands of artists, fans, and dreamers who descend upon the town. It’s a place where talent is forged in the intensity of the summer sun, a place where a busker on Peel Street or a singer belting their heart out in a local pub or club can catch the eye of the industry. Tamworth is where the journey truly begins for some, and the ultimate destination for others.

The Pinnacle: The Golden Guitar Awards

The key highlight of the ten-day celebration, and the pinnacle of Australian Country Music, is The Toyota Golden Guitar Awards, held on the last Saturday of the festival. This is the night where dreams come true, blossom, and come to life. It’s a time when we collectively celebrate the achievements of our great talents, acknowledging the unique and often long journey each artist takes to reach the point of a Golden Guitar nomination.

This year, the level of recorded product submitted was immense, with over 700+ separate pieces vying for a coveted spot among the typically 180+ individual nominations. The 54th annual presentation in January 2026 promises to be a spectacular night of recognition for the best of the best.

The 2026 Golden Guitar Award Nominations

The depth and diversity of Australian Country Music are clearly reflected in the 2026 field. ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Kasey Chambers leads the way with an incredible 13 nominations, cementing her status as a powerhouse in the genre. Following close behind are Tasmanian country-rock titans The Wolfe Brothers and the prolific artist and producer Shane Nicholson, both securing eight nominations each.

Brendan Radford has picked up seven nominations across multiple categories, while emerging star Max Jackson, bush balladeer Dean Perrett, legend John Williamson, and the witty Pete Denahy have all received a sensational six nominations each.

Here is a list of the finalists in major categories, who will be eagerly awaiting the final results at the gala presentation in Tamworth in January 2026:

Toyota Album of the Year

• Australian Made – The Wolfe Brothers

• Backbone – Kasey Chambers

• Bush Troubadour – Dean Perrett

• Choking on Fuel – Imogen Clark

• Country Soul – Hayley Jensen

• Cowboy Up – Kaylee Bell

• Crucifix and Spinifex – Kevin Bennett & The Flood

• Endemic Intelligence in Multiple Dimensions – Brad Cox

• Enemy Of My Enemy – The Pleasures

• Forest House – Jenny Mitchell

• Here’s To You – Tom Curtain

• How Many Songs – John Williamson

• Road To Riverleigh – Brendon Walmsley

• Start All Over Again – Brendan Radford

• Worth Your Love – Sara Storer

Single of the Year

• Amen For the Weekend – Lane Pittman

• Good For Me – James Johnston

• Hold My Horses – Max Jackson

• How Many One More Times – The Wolfe Brothers with Zac & George

• The Divorce Song – Kasey Chambers featuring Shane Nicholson

Song of the Year

• A Country Heart Can – Max Jackson (Written by Max Jackson)

• Australian Made – The Wolfe Brothers (Written by Nicholas Wolfe, Thomas Wolfe and Graeme Connors)

• Back In the Day – James Johnston (Written by James Johnston and Morgan Evans)

• Cowboy Up – Kaylee Bell (Written by Kaylee Bell, Brooke Singer and Jol Mulholland)

• The Divorce Song – Kasey Chambers featuring Shane Nicholson (Written by Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson)

Male Artist of the Year

• Andrew Swift

• Brad Cox

• James Johnston

• Travis Collins

• Wade Forster

Female Artist of the Year

• Kasey Chambers

• Kaylee Bell

• Max Jackson

• Sara Berki

• Sara Storer

Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year

• Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham

• Homegrown Trio

• Kevin Bennett and The Flood

• The Pleasures

• The Wolfe Brothers

Vocal Collaboration of the Year

• Wade Forster & Max Jackson – Denim

• The Wolfe Brothers with Zac & George – How Many One More Times

• Warren H Williams, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson – Ntaria

• Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson – The Divorce Song

• Brad Cox and Randy Houser – The High Cost of Living

New Talent of the Year

• Felicity Dowd

• Felicity Kircher

• Sara Berki

• Tyla Rodrigues

• Wade Forster

This incredible list of nominees showcases the robust health of the Australian Country Music scene, spanning from the most revered veterans to the freshest new voices. The countdown to the gala event on Saturday, January 24, 2026, has begun.