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Promoting the World of Country Music Around the Globe

UK Names Superstar Headliners For New Country Music Festival

Country Music Fans Down Under Prepare for 41st CMAA Awards

Finalists have been announced for the 41st annual Country Music Awards of Australia, held Jan. 26, 2013, at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre in Tamworth, NSW, Australia.

Australia’s most anticipated night for Country music fans will be led by artists Catherine Britt (pictured left) and Troy Cassar-Daley (pictured below right). Both artists top the field of nominees with seven nominations each. Britt’s most recent album, Always Never Enough, is her fifth release, while Cassar-Daley is a perennial fan-favorite at the CMAAs, having won a total of 21 Golden Guitars to date. Both artists are nominated in the Album of the Year category.

The McClymonts, back in Australia after a year of international touring, are nominated for five awards, as are Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson on the strength of their acclaimed second release as a duo, Wreck & Ruin.

The Top Selling International Album of the Year category features releases from Carrie Underwood (Blown Away), Tim McGraw (Emotional

Traffic), Dierks Bentley (Home), Zac Brown Band (Uncaged) and Alan Jackson (Thirty Miles West).

Other multiple CMAA award nominees this year include Sara Storer, John Williamson, and Colin Buchanan with four nominations each. A particularly competitive New Talent category features up and comers Bob Corbett, Chelsea Basham, Chris E Thomas, Harry Hookey and Kristy Cox.

The 41st CMAA Country Music Awards are held each year in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. A full list of CMAA Awards nominees is available here.

Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Vince Gill, Little Big Town, LeAnn Rimes, Kristian Bush and Brantley Gilbert are among the Country stars recently announced for next year’s inaugural C2C: Country to Country festival, scheduled for March 16-17, 2013, in London.

Held at The O2 Arena, the festival is capitalizing on the surging popularity of the Country genre overseas, particularly in the UK where superstar Carrie Underwood’s June 21 show at Royal Albert Hall sold out in a short 90 minutes earlier this year. McGraw (pictured above left) will headline Saturday’s festivities, with Underwood headlining on Sunday.

“Our trip to the UK and playing The O2 is one of the things I’m looking forward to the most for next year,” said McGraw. “I love being able to take my music to other countries, and I think there are a lot of new songs on Two Lanes of Freedom that fans over there will really dig. It’s going to be a blast!”

Added Underwood, “I love the idea of a country music festival in London and I’m so excited that so many amazing artists are coming together for Country to Country. I feel honored to help represent Country music, and I know it’s going to be a really fun weekend!”

Created in conjunction with The O2, SJM Concerts and the CMA, the C2C: Country to Country festival is projected to be an annual event.

“We at CMA are thrilled to be involved with the Country to Country music festival at The O2 arena,” says CMA CEO Steve Moore. “It will prove to be the beginning of an annual music tradition that Nashville artists can perform and build new fans throughout the UK and Europe.”

Visit www.c2c-countrytocountry.com for more information.