Troy Cassar-Daley, Michael Waugh, Kasey Chambers Lead 2025 Golden Guitar Nominations
Other artists nominated include James Johnston, Max Jackson, Lane Pittman, Wade Forster, Casey Barnes, and Tori Forsyth.
Kasey Chambers, Michael Waugh, Troy Cassar-Daley (Supplied)
Troy Cassar-Daley may already be a 40-time Golden Guitar award winner, but today, it’s been announced that he’s dominated next year’s award nominations with six nods to his name.
He’s not the only one racking up an impressive list of nominations, with Michael Waugh nominated for five awards and Kasey Chambers, James Johnston, Colin Buchanan, Kingswood, and Lee Kernaghan nominated for four awards.
Elsewhere, Max Jackson has been nominated across three categories, as have Andy Penkow, Casey Barnes, Taylor Moss, Tori Forsyth, The Wolfe Brothers, Ashleigh Dallas, Kristy Cox, and Michael Carpenter & The Banks Brothers.
Artists nominated for two awards at next year’s award include Adam Harvey, Andy Golledge, Graeme Connors, Henry Wagons, Lane Pittman, Jayne Denham, Raechel Whitchurch, Kelly Dixon, William Alexander, Zac & George, and this year’s Female Artist of the Year, Kaylee Bell.
Meanwhile, Denvah, Dylan Wright, 2024 Toyota Star Maker Wade Forster, Abbie Ferris, Andrew Swift, Amber Lawrence, Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley, John Williamson, Darlinghurst, and others have received single nominations.
Cassar-Daley has received nominations for Alt/Americana Country Album of the Year and Toyota Album of the Year for Between The Fires, Single of the Year (Let’s Ride), Song of the Year (Some Days), and Windradyne has been nominated for Heritage Song of the Year. Cassar-Daley has also been named a nominee for Male Artist of the Year.
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You can find the complete list of nominees below.
Toyota Golden Guitar Awards Executive Producer Peter Ross said: “The 2025 awards will recognise the hard work and creativity of artists right across the nation. Today’s celebration in Sydney has been an exciting snippet of what is to come in January. On behalf of Tamworth Regional Council, I would like to congratulate all the nominees in the Toyota 53rd Golden Guitar Awards.”
Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) Chairman Dobe Newton added: “We are particularly pleased with the depth and diversity of this year’s line-up. The results highlight both first-time contributors and young achievers, such as Tamworth-based 18-year-old Lane Pittman, alongside some of our most experienced and enduring talents, including 97-year-old songwriting legend Kelly Dixon of Slim Dusty’s Leave Him In The Longyard fame.
“The CMAA congratulates all those named today and extends its gratitude to each entrant in the awards who contributed to a highly competitive field.”
The winners of the Toyota 53rd Golden Guitar Awards will be revealed on Saturday, 25 January, at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre. Those who aren’t lucky enough to attend can watch the awards live on the festival website and Facebook page.
You can purchase tickets to the 2025 Golden Guitar Awards here.
53rd Country Music Awards of Australia
2025 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards Nominees
Alt/Americana Country Album of the Year Artist Producer/s
All We Have Is Who We Are - Tori Forsyth, Scott Horscroft
Beauty & Truth - Michael Waugh, Shane Nicholson
Between The Fires - Troy Cassar-Daley, Jeff McCormack, Jordan Power
The Four Seasons - Henry Wagons
Young Dumb & Wild - Andy Golledge, Ryan Miller, Oliver Thorpe
Contemporary Country Album of the Year Artist Producer/s
Firecracker - Taylor Moss
MSquared - Michael Paynter and Michael De Lorenzis
Mayday - Casey Barnes
MSquared - Michael Paynter and Michael De Lorenzis
Moonshine - Jayne Denham
Brian White, Brian Bunn
Shades On Me - Andy Penkow, Shawn Moore
What A Time To Be Alive - Raechel Whitchurch, Matt Fell
Traditional Country Album of the Year Artist Producer/s
Let it Burn - Kristy Cox, Jerry Salley
Memory Town - Colin Buchanan, Matt Fell
Setting Suns - Ashleigh Dallas, Brett Dallas
The Singing Stockman - William Alexander, Patrick Wilson
The Tale of G.C.Townes – Kingswood, Alexander Laska
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
Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year
Darlinghurst
Michael Carpenter & The Banks Brothers
The Pleasures
Small Town Romance
Zac & George
Vocal Collaboration of the Year Artists
Beer in A Bar - The Wolfe Brothers & Kaylee Bell
Fumes & Fireworks - Amber Lawrence & Andrew Swift
Sing Me the Land - Colin Buchanan & Michael Waugh
The Ringer’s Retired - Graeme Connors & Kelly Dixon
Who I Am Lee - Kernaghan & James Johnston
Bush Ballad of the Year Artist Songwriter Name/s
A Big Thing In A Small Town - Dean Perrett
Dean Perrett, Paul Ricketts, Lachie McLaine
He Loves His Radio - Allan Caswell
Allan Caswell, Manfred Vijars, Lindsay Waddington
Laura & Giselle - Colin Buchanan
Talk Around Taromeo - The Bushwackers, Ian Quinn
The Lone Drover - Andy Penkow
Andy Penkow, Kath Stewart, Rip-Van Parks
Heritage Song of the Year Artist Songwriter Name/s
Backbone (The Desert Child) - Kasey Chambers
Be A Part Of This Land - John Williamson
Father’s Day - Michael Waugh
The Ringer’s Retired - Graeme Connors & Kelly Dixon
Windradyne - Troy Cassar-Daley
Instrumental of the Year Artist
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 Artist
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
New Talent of the Year
Denvah
Dylan Wright
Lane Pittman
Wade Forster
Zac & George
Song of the Year Artist Songwriter Name/s
Backbone (The Desert Child) - Kasey Chambers
Little By Little - The Wolfe Brothers, Nicholas Wolfe
Remember Me - Adam Harvey, Mike Carr
Some Days - Troy Cassar-Daley, Kevin Bennett
Who I Am - Lee Kernaghan & James Johnston
Lee Kernaghan, James Johnston, Nicholas Wolfe, Colin Buchanan, Nolan Wynne
CMT Video of the Year Artist Director/s
Backbone (The Desert Child) - Kasey Chambers, Rosemary Whatmuff
Dharawal - Luke O’Shea, Jay Seeney - Blacklist Productions
Little More Country - Max Jackson, Jeremy Minett - Eyes & Ears Creative
What Are You Waiting For - Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley, Jeremy Minett - Eyes & Ears Creative
Who I Am - Lee Kernaghan & James Johnston, Duncan Toombs - The Filmery
Single of the Year Artist
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
Toyota Album of the Year Artist Producer/s
All We Have Is Who We Are - Tori Forsyth, Scott Horscroft
Beauty & Truth - Michael Waugh, Shane Nicholson
Between The Fires - Troy Cassar-Daley, Jeff McCormack, Jordan Power
Firecracker - Taylor Moss, MSquared - Michael Paynter and Michael De Lorenzis
Let it Burn - Kristy Cox, Jerry Salley
Mayday - Casey Barnes, MSquared - Michael Paynter and Michael De Lorenzis
Memory Town - Colin Buchanan, Matt Fell
Moonshine - Jayne Denham, Brian White, Brian Bunn
Setting Suns - Ashleigh Dallas, Brett Dallas
Shades On Me - Andy Penkow, Shawn Moore
The Four Seasons - Henry Wagons
The Singing Stockman - William Alexander, Patrick Wilson
The Tale of G.C.Townes – Kingswood, Alexander Laska
What A Time To Be Alive - Raechel Whitchurch, Matt Fell
Young Dumb & Wild - Andy Golledge, Ryan Miller, Oliver Thorpe
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