Fanny Lumsden forced to withdraw Golden Guitars nomination

The Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) has asked Fanny Lumsden to withdraw one of her Golden Guitars nominations.

Lumsden’s single Land of Goldwas a finalist in three categories: Qantaslink New Talent of the Year, Single of the Year and APRA AMCOS Song of the Year.

However, the CMAA has said Lumsden’s entry for APRA AMCOS Song of the Year is ineligible:

“Despite being named as one of the five finalists, it has been determined that her song ’Land of Gold’ is ineligible due to its previous release on Lumsden’s 2015 album ‘Small Town Big Shot’. The 2015 album falls outside the eligibility period,” CMAA wrote on Facebook overnight.

The CMAA has replaced Lumsden in the category withSara Storer’s song My Diamond.Storer now hasseven finalist placings in theAwards.

Lumsden is an unsigned, independent artist who distributes through Social Family Records. TMN understands she personally submitted Land Of Gold for all the categories she was nominated in and believed she was submitting the track as an official single release only for the APRA Song of the Year. Lumsden serviced Land of Gold to radio in February.

Looking at the nomination handbook, the difference between the eligibility information detailed in the APRA AMCOS Song of the Year category compared to the Single of the Year category is minimal.

APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR

The nominated track must be a newly written Australian composition first released during the current eligibility period.Under this category, if the nominated track is taken from an album, the album must contain no less than seven (7) songs however the requirement that the album contains 70% previously unreleased songs does not apply.

Nominations in the category of APRA Song of the Year will only be accepted provided that the artist and composer are Australian or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.

Songwriters may nominate a track in the APRA AMCOS Song of the Year provided that (a) the same track has not been nominated by another Artist, (b) the Songwriter must be a financial member of the CMAA, and (c) recording must comply with the eligibility criteria for this category.

Trophy goes to songwriter/s.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

Judged on one nominated track from an eligible commercially released single or Album or solely as a commercially available digital download from Industry recognised DSP’s (see definitions page 2) during the eligibility period.

The recording may be a cover song and may have originally been part of a previously released album. The recording cannot have been previously nominated in any category.

There may be a requirement to provide some evidence of promotion of the recording eg: service to radio, creation of a film clip or a publicity campaign.

A copy of the track must have been delivered to radio either digitally or on CD within the eligibility period for the clearly stated purpose of gaining radio play as a single.

The eligibility period for Single of the Year is for a track released between 1st October 2015 to 30th September 2016

Trophy goes to the artist/s.

Lumsden expressed her disappointment on Facebook overnight:

Cheryl Byrnes, Managing Editor at Country Music Capital News & Co-Ordinator at Toyota Star Maker, told TMN the entry procedure for the Golden Guitars appears to need perfecting.

“For 44 years winning a Golden Guitar has been the pinnacle for those in the Australian country music industry to achieve,” said Byrnes. “The conditions for each category should be the first consideration for anyone entering and should be applied and adhered to.

“The role of the CMAA Board is indeed to ensure every finalist and track or video nominated is 100% valid. Without having spoken to anyone yet, it appears there’s been two oversights and the procedure still needs perfecting.

“It’s pleasing that this wasn’t covered up,” she added. “However I’m sure both parties are disappointed that it’s happened.”

TMN has reached out to APRA AMCOS and Dobe Newton OAM, Chairman of the CMAA Board, for comment.

Lumsden’s collaborative single, Cheers to the Girls with Amber Lawrence and Catherine Britt, is also up for a Golden Guitar in the Vocal Collaboration Of The Year category.