Awards hat trick for Graeme Connors (1995)

Graeme Connors took the hat trick at the 1995 Australian Country Music Awards in Tamworth.

Female Vocalist of the Year 1995 Gina Jeffreys.

Latest awards are `icing on the cake' for major talent

Flashback to Variety Today 1995

TAKING the hat trick at this year's Australian Country Music Awards in Tamowrth is the icing on the cake for singer-songwriter Graeme Connors.

Based in Mackay, Queensland, Graeme since 1988 has been growing in stature and has been one of the most successful chart artists of the past few years, scoring five straight No.1 hits on the Country Track chart. Against strong opposition he took his rising status as a major musical talent to new heights in winning three major Golden Guitar awards this year.

Graeme's emotive ballad `Songs from the Homeland' was decisively voted Song of the Year at the Golden Guitar presentations, also earning him Male Vocalist of the Year, while his album `Homeland' was awarded Album of the Year. Previously, Graeme has won a Golden Guitar for Song of the Year in 1989.

Gina Jeffreys shines

IT was a `Girls' Night Out' for Gina Jeffreys when she beat off a solid challenge to take the Golden Guitar for Female Vocalist of the Year with a song of that name. It was the second year running for Gina, consolidating her position as country music's foremost female singer.

Country Music Award winners

IN Instrumental of the Year, two of Australia's most respected studio and backing musicians Rod McCormack and Mick Albeck moved to front-of-the-stage to collect a Golden Guitar for their track `Little Rock Getaway'. Rod and Mick have both held National Bluegrass Championship titles.

In Group or Duo, Dead Ringer Band took the trophy with their track `Family Man' recorded live at the Gympie Muster. The Dead Ringers are the Chambers family, Bill and Dianne, their daughter Kasey Chambers and son Nash, and they came to NSW from the Nullabor.
One of the most popular wins of the night was in the Bush Ballad Heritage Award taken out by Stan Coster with his own composition and recording `Lawson's Loaded Dog'. Stan has won two Golden Guitars previously, both times for Song of the Year with tracks recorded by Slim Dusty. The archetypal bushman, Stan spends most of his time touring, and this latest win is a recognition of the strong traditional elements that contribute so much to Australian country music.

A performance with a more contemporary subject and presentation won Vocal Collaboaration - about 30 of Australia's top artists and musicians joined together under the name `Australian Family of Country Music' to record `Bridge of Love', a song written by Bushwacker Roger Corbett to celebrate the Year of the Family and raise funds for Barnados Australia.

Collecting the Golden Guitar with Roger was Melanie Williamson who created the project.

Video Track of the Year attracted 31 entries this year and was won by John Williamson for his `Tropical Fever' (directed by Mark Jago). While John has won 10 Golden Guitars in the past, this is his first Video Award.

Top Selling album of the Year went to Lee Kernaghan whose `Three Chain Road' recently went Platinum. This was Lee's only nomination in these Awards as he had not recorded during the eligibility period. Lee is currently woking on a new album in Sydney.

New Talent, which was presented at a special function, was won by last year's Star Maker talent quest winner 18-year-old Clint Beattie with `Learning How to Live'.

Finally, Producer of the Year for the third time in succession was won by Garth Porter. Formerly known as a member of pop group `Sherbert', Garth in recent years has built a huge reputation as a producer of highly successful recordings for people like Lee Kernaghan, Gina Jeffreys and TC Cassidy.

An estimated 4000 fans were at the gala presentation, held in the huge covered Rodeo Arena in Tamworth. A television special of the edxciting event was seen on Prime and Sunshine network stations in NSW, Victoria and Queensland in February. Among the host of popular country music artists to take part in the presentation service were Jimmy Little, Ted Egan, and John Williamson, just to name a few.

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