Adam Brand And James Johnston Win Queensland Music Awards

Adam Brand was awarded ‘Highest Selling Album’ for All Or Nothing at the 2023 Queensland Music Awards, presented on Tuesday, 28 March, at The Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane. 

The 2022 released album was also nominated for a 2022 ARIA Award and Golden Guitar Awards for ‘Toyota Album of the Year’ and ‘Contemporary Country Album of the Year’.

“I didn't really set about to make an album, which is strange for me,” Brand said about the making of the album. “Usually, when it's time to make a record, I start compiling ideas, I start writing more, I start fishing for songs from songwriter friends. Traditionally - for me - making an album is like building a house from start to finish.

“But All Or Nothing was different because it was recorded through Covid,” he added. “Everything was different. We didn’t know if we were ever going to make albums again or what was going to happen. So, I just started off - relatively quietly - by going into a friend's studio while I was over in Perth - to do ‘a couple of songs’.

The album features the singles Still The One, I’m Coming Home, and the title track, which was co-written with The Wolfe Brothers and peaked at #1 Countrytown Hot 50 Country Airplay Chart.

Additionally, James Johnston received the ‘Country Award’ for his single, COUNTRY BOYS.

“COUNTRY BOYS is my childhood captured in a song,” Johnston said of the single at the time of release. “From riding dirt bikes to losing summers swimming in the creek.”

The song reached #1 on the Countrytown Hot 50 Country Airplay Chart, as did his singles RAISED LIKE THAT, SMALL TOWN, GOT IT GOOD and SAME SONGS duet with Kaylee Bell, which earned the pair the 2023 Golden Guitar Award for ‘Vocal Collaboration of the Year’.

Other finalists in the country category included Casey Barnes for Small Town, Sammy White for Love On The Line and Taylor Moss for What Am I Gonna Do?. Lily Grace also scored a Youth (Aged 10-17) nomination for The Two Of Us Meet, as did Pat Kenny in the Folk category as part of the duo Freight Train Foxes for Fly To You.

Since 2006 (then known as QSong), the QMAs have spotlighted or unearthed a pantheon of Queensland music greats, including Kate Miller-Heidke, Bernard Fanning, Hungry Kids of Hungary, and Emma Louise. They’ve also recognised the success of artists like Keith Urban and the Veronicas, and the lifelong contributions of the Bee Gees, Ed Kuepper and Grant McLennan.