Brothers3, Graham Rodger, dominate People’s Choice country awards
Brothers3 and Graham Rodger dominated the 2016 Australian Country Music Peoples Choice Awards, held in Tamworth.
Brothers3, made up of Makirum, Shardyn and Tayzin Fahey-Leigh from Mudgee, NSW, won Best Group, Best Video and Song of the Year. The wins were for Brothers Never Part, about their experience on The X Factor, in which they came third in the 2014 season. The video was directed by Duncan Toombes.
Makrum explained at the release of the song, being on the show not only pushed them to be better performers, but brought them closer as brothers and made them realise “We should stay close to our country roots in some of our songs.”
Graham Rodger, the one time Queensland Ambulance officer, scored Best Male Vocal and Best Album for They Answered The Call which was produced by Michael Fix. Rodger has been on an upswing in recent years, last year winning Golden Guitars for Best Male and Best Album for Dust And Leather.
Amber Lawrence, the one time Qantas chartered accountant who plays 100 shows a year, won Best Female from Dianne Lindsay who had the crown for the last two years. The Sydney-born singer songwriter won the Golden Guitar for Female Artist of the Year in 2015 for her fourth album Superheroes.
Byron Bay country-folk singer songwriter Kathryn Jones took home Best Vocal Event for Even Cowgirls Sing The Blues. She co-wrote it with Steve Passfield who produced the track’s parent album Lil Gypsy.
Dale Duncan’s The Old Camp Oven (penned by Terry Bennetts and Keith Lethbridge) won Best Bush Ballad. North Queensland’s Becci Nethery was acknowledged Most Popular Future Star.
In the media section, Jane Kellaway of Sydney’s2MCR FM was voted Most Popular Country Music DJ for a second year. The trophy for Most Popular Country Music Radio Program went to Alan Gilmour’s Australian Country Songwriters Showcase which is aired on the NSW Central Coast’s todayscountry94one.
Awards spokesperson Bob Kirchner said, “Our voter numbers continue to grow year on year, and we are already looking forward to the next round of voting which should get underway in just a few months time.”