Country superstar Carrie Underwood struck gold at the 41st Annual Country Music Awards of Australia on Saturday (Jan. 26). Her platinum-selling album Blown Away, which has amassed 1.3 million in sales and spurred two No. 1 singles, scored a win as the “Top-Selling International Album of the Year.” Underwood beat out Tim McGraw (Emotional Traffic), Dierks Bentley (Home), Alan Jackson (Thirty Miles West) and Zac Brown Band (Uncaged). The ceremony was held at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre in Hillvue, south of Tamworth.
Australian-born musician Troy Cassar-Daley was the night’s big winner, nabbing several major honors, including Male Artist of the Year, Single of the Year for “Country Is,” APRA Song of the Year for “Home,” and Album of the Year for Home.
Other winners include Catherine Britt, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, just to name a few. The Lifetime Achievement Award was handed to Geoff Mack (writer of “I’ve Been Everywhere”) to honor his contribution to Australian Country music.
Winners list:
Male Artist of the Year: Troy Cassar-Daley
Female Artist of the Year: Catherine Britt
Telestra New Talent of the Year: Chelsea Basham
Single of the Year: “Country Is” by Troy Cassar-Daley
APRA Song of the Year: “Home” by Troy Cassar-Daley
Album of the Year: Home by Troy Cassar-Daley
Group/Duo of the Year: Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson
Video of the Year: “Piece of Me” by The McClymonts
Sanity Top Selling Australian Album of the Year: Two Worlds Collide by The McClymonts
Top Selling International Album of the Year: Blown Away by Carrie Underwood
Alternative Country Album of the Year: Big Days & Little Years by Camille & Stuie
Vocal Collaboration of the Year: “Women in Song” by Tamara Stewart, Sara Storer and Felicity Urquhart
Toyota Heritage Song of the Year: “The Drover’s Wife” by Luke O’Shea and Peter Gabrielides
Instrumental of the Year: “Yackandandah 1952″ by Pete Denahy
Bush Ballad of the Year: “Looking Back” by Graham Rodger.