CMC Music Awards reveals 2018 finalists
GOLD Coast country great Lee Kernaghan will present an award named in honour of late music promoter Rob Potts at this year's 8th annual CMC Music Awards.
This year's fan-voted awards, to be announced at a gala ceremony at The Star Gold Coast on March 15, attracted a record 521,296 votes.
The country shindig, which precedes the annual CMC Rocks festival, will be hosted by The McClymonts and broadcast live on Foxtel's Country Music Channel.
The ceremony will feature a stellar line-up of live performers including US stars and 2018 award finalists Darius Rucker and Kelsea Ballerini, breaking bands Old Dominion and Brothers Osborne and local favourites and finalists Travis Collins and Amber Lawrence.
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Collins leads the field with nominations in four categories including Australian artist of the year and group or duo of the year for Our Backyard, his duet with Lawrence.
Lawrence is also a finalist in the female artist of the year category.
Fellow awards performers The Wolfe Brothers are also up for group or duo of the year and Australian artist of the year.
CMC's The New Artist of the Year award category has been renamed The Rob Potts Tribute/CMC New Artist of Year award in honour of influential promoter and manager Rob Potts, who passed away late last year.
Mr Potts co-founded the CMC Rocks Festival with CMC and Chugg Entertainment and ran Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, which continues to tour some of the world's biggest country artists.
Mr Potts was booking agent for country stars including Tommy Emmanuel, James Blundell, BROADBEACH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL REBRANDS
Keith Urban and ARIA-winner Kernaghan, who will present this year's inaugural award named in honour of his late mate.
Gold Coast country star Adam Brand is in the running for three awards - Australian video fo the year, male artist of the year and Australian artist of the year - while awards hosts The McClymonts are up for three (Australian video of the year, group or duo of the year and Australian artist of the year).
The largest annual fan-voted awards in Australian country music, last year's 7th annual CMC Awards ceremony, hosted by Aussie country star Morgan Evans, brought a who's who of country music to the Coast for what many hailed the best awards ceremony in the event's history.
2018 8TH ANNUAL CMC MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS
CMC International Video of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini: Legends
Luke Bryan: Fast
Brad Paisley: Last Time For Everything
Blake Shelton: I'll Name The Dogs
Keith Urban & Carrie Underwood: The Fighter
CMC International Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Luke Bryan
Miranda Lambert
Darius Rucker
Keith Urban
CMC Australian Video of the Year
Adam Brand: Drunk
Fanny Lumsden: Roll On
O'Shea: Start Over
The McClymonts: Don't Wish It All Away
Travis Collins: Hometown Calling
The Rob Potts Tribute/CMC New Artist of Year
Imogen Clark
Rachael Fahim
Hayley Jensen
Missy Lancaster
Tailgate Drive
CMC Group or Duo of The Year
O'Shea
Sunny Cowgirls
The McClymonts
The Wolfe Brothers
Travis Collins & Amber Lawrence
CMC Female Artist of The Year
Kasey Chambers
Christie Lamb
Amber Lawrence
Fanny Lumsden
Caitlyn Shadbolt
CMC Male Artist of The Year
Adam Brand
Troy Cassar-Daley
Travis Collins
Morgan Evans
Lee Kernaghan
CMC Australian Artist of the Year
Adam Brand
Travis Collins
Morgan Evans
The McClymonts
The Wolfe Brothers
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Lee Kernaghan: The 25th Anniversary Album
ARIA Highest-selling International Album
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