Adam Brand fans’ choice at CMC Music Awards
Adam Brand walked away with two awards at last night’s CMC Music Awards in Brisbane, taking out the big one, CMC Oz Artist Of The Year, and Australian Video Of The Year for What Your Love Looks Like.
Brand dedicated the double honour to his fans, the ‘Brandwagon’, and wrapped up the show with a rousing rendition of Billy Thorpe’s Most People I Know with Travis Collins and The Wolfe Brothers.
While Brand has proven a favourite over the fan-voted Awards’ five-year history, he wasn’t the only artist to receive two awards; Keith Urban claimed two trophies, for International Artist Of The Year and International Video Of The Year for Cop Car, and beamed in his acceptance speeches from his home in Nashville.
The night’s host, who was recently crowned winner of the CMA Global Artist Award, was characteristically charming when he was awarded Male Artist Of The Year.
The ceremony’s backstage host Amber Lawrence took out the award for Female Artist Of The Year. During her speech Lawrence recalled the first time her video was played on CMC and thanked the Foxtel channel for its support of local talent.
The ceremony at Brisbane’s QPAC saw more than 1,000 guests pile into the Centre’s Concert Hall; it marked the second move for the awards, the first with funding from Tourism and Events Queensland, and the biggest production yet.
Prior to the ceremony, Rebecca Batties,GM –FoxtelMusic Channels and Head of Digital, addressed VIP attendees at a pre- awards function and noted the importance of the partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland.
“We hope that beginning this year and for years to come we will build Queensland as a home for country music,” Batties said.
:: Q&A – Tim Daley discusses the evolution of the CMC Music Awards
The Awards featured six live performances from US acts including Maddie& Tae, 7x Grammy winners Lady Antebellum, 2x Grammy winner Kasey Musgrave and Lee Brice as well as Australian acts Adam Brand and Troy Cassar-Daley. The Awards acted as a primer to Australia's Biggest International Country and Roots Festival, CMC Rocks. The three-day festival kicks off today in Ipswich with Big & Rich, Lady Antebellum, Cris Young, Kristian Bush and Adam Harvey among those on the lineup. Tickets are available here.
The Awards will betelecast Thursday, March 19 at 8pm on CMC and Saturday, March 28 at 9.30pm on FOX8.
Full list of winners:
CMC Oz Artist Of The Year
Adam Brand
Female Artist Of The Year
Amber Lawrence
Male Artist Of The Year
Morgan Evans
International Artist Of The Year
Keith Urban
Australian Video Of The Year
Adam Brand – What Your Love Looks Like
International Video Of The Year
Keith Urban – Cop Car
New Artist Of The Year
Christie Lamb
Group Or Duo Of The Year
The McClymonts