International country music legend Keith Urban has accepted a major honour at the Golden Guitar Awards in Tamworth.
Urban was a busker at the Tamworth Country Music Festival before being catapulted into stardom.
He was involved in the festival’s Talent Quest and won the title of Star Maker at the age of 22.
The Roll of Renown was established in 1976 and is used to celebrate artists who have made a lasting and significant impact on Australian country music.
Keith Urban, with 1990 Queen of Country Lynette Dallas, has a long history with the music festival. (Supplied: Lynette Dallas)
To induct him into Roll of Renown on Saturday night, Kasey Chambers sung a heartfelt ballad while young artist Denvah spoke of his powerful influence on aspiring musicians.
In accepting the honour, Urban thanked a swathe of people, in particular his “early believers”.
“All of us artists know that it takes the early believers seeing something in you,” he said.
He recalled his first trip to the Tamworth Country Music Festival at the age of nine, setting things in motion for a huge career in music.
“I just want to say thank you to the city of Tamworth because I have so many memories here.
“Troy (Cassar-Daley) and I busking…on Peel Street.”
Urban reflected on watching other country music greats inducted into the Roll of Renown, which includes the likes of the late Tex Morton, Slim Dusty, John Williamson, Joy McKean, Kasey Chambers, Troy Cassar-Daley and Graeme Connors.
“To be in that family is mind-blowing,” he said.
Moments after accepting the honour, Urban received his 15th Golden Guitar; his 12th studio album, High, won Top Selling Album of the Year.
Urban revealed he had actually written, and scrapped, an entire album before creating High.
Ashleigh Dallas has won the 2025 Golden Guitar for Traditional Country Album of the Year, for her album Setting Suns. (Caitlin Furlong)
There was a special Keith Urban connection for Tamworth’s own Ashleigh Dallas, who claimed the award for Traditional Country Album of the Year.
Her mum, Lynette, was the Queen of Country in 1990, the same year Keith Urban won Star Maker.
The album was produced by Dallas’ dad, Brett, who joined her with her brother to accept the award.
Troy Cassar-Daley cleans up
The Golden Guitar Awards cap off the Tamworth Country Music Festival, with Troy Cassar-Daley this year’s most awarded artist.
Cassar-Daley’s five titles include Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Alternative Country Album of the Year for his album Between the Fires.
He aslo won the Heritage Song of the Year title for Windradyne and Song of the Year for Some Days.
Troy Cassar-Daley took home five Golden Guitars from the 2025 awards, bringing his career total to 45, but he performed at the awards as well. (Supplied Tamworth Country Music Festival)
Cassar-Daley, who created Between the Fires after the passing of his parents, reflected on how special it was to record the album at his late mum’s house in Halfway Creek, near Grafton.
“I’d never had a record company come to my mum’s old place in the bush ever, that was a big deal,” he said.
Things became emotional when thanking his wife and children for their support during the album’s creation.
“I may have been a bit of a s**t to live with for a little while and I didn’t really include everyone in what was going on but I didn’t mean to push everyone away.
“Sometimes, to heal you have to take the journey on your own. Even my kids were pushed away a little bit, they still love me, they still call me their Da.
“Lauren, thank you for understanding the walk that we took through that bush to make this record.”
Troy Cassar-Daley with his 41st and 42nd Golden Guitars at the 2025 awards in Tamworth. (Caitlin Furlong )
Meanwhile, Max Jackson has backed up her Golden Guitar win from last year after being named 2024 New Talent of the Year.
The Coonable born, Newcastle based musician has been named Female Artist of the Year and also claimed Single of the Year for Little More Country.
Jackson performed her winning song for the Golden Guitars audience in Tamworth.
Jackson was in awe at being handed her second Golden Guitar for the night by Fanny Lumsden.
“I’ve just been so inspired by the women of country music since I was a little girl,” Jackson said.
Max Jackson won two awards, including Female Artist of the year. (ABC New England North West: Caitlin Furlong)
53rd Country Music Awards of Australia
Album of the Year: BETWEEN THE FIRES
Troy Cassar-Daley | Producers: Troy Cassar-Daley, Jeff McCormack, Jordan Power
Alt Country Album of the Year: BETWEEN THE FIRES
Troy Cassar-Daley | Producers: Troy Cassar-Daley, Jeff McCormack, Jordan Power
Contemporary Country Album of the Year: MAYDAY
Casey Barnes | Producers: Michael DeLorenzis and Michael Paynter, MSquared
Traditional Country Album of the Year: SETTING SUNS
Ashleigh Dallas | Producer: Brett Dallas
Male Artist of the Year: TROY CASSAR-DALEY
Female Artist of the Year: MAX JACKSON
Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year: ZAC & GEORGE
Vocal Collaboration of the Year: BEER IN A BAR
The Wolfe Brothers & Kaylee Bell
Bush Ballad of the Year: LAURA & GISELLE
Colin Buchanan | Songwriter: Colin Buchanan
Heritage Song of the Year: WINDRADYNE
Troy Cassar-Daley | Songwriter: Troy Cassar-Daley
Instrumental of the Year: THE RED CENTRE
Lindsay Waddington feat Brendan Radford
Bluegrass Recording of the Year: LET IT BURN
Kristy Cox
New Talent of the Year: LANE PITTMAN
Song of the Year: SOME DAYS
Troy Cassar-Daley | Songwriters: Troy Cassar-Daley & Kevin Bennett
CMT Video of the Year: DHARAWAL
Luke O’Shea | Director: Luke O’Shea & Jay Seeney, Blacklist Productions
Single of the Year: LITTLE MORE COUNTRY
Max Jackson
Top Selling Album of the Year: HIGH
Keith Urban
