Golden Guitar

Last updated

Golden Guitar
Jay Seeney and Jake Gilroy in Tamworth.jpg
DesignerHarry Frost
Completion date1988
MediumFibreglass and Steel
Subject Australian country music
Dimensions12 m (39 ft) tall
Weight0.5 tonnes (0 long tons; 1 short ton)
Location Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia

The Big Golden Guitar is one of the many "big" attractions that can be found around Australia. Located in Tamworth, New South Wales, the monument is one of the best-known points of interest in New England.

Contents

It is also a major attraction during the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

History

The Golden Guitar was erected in front of the Longyard Hotel on Sydney Road in 1988. It was unveiled by the country music artist, Slim Dusty. [1] Its location in Tamworth is symbolic of the city's recognition and celebration of Australian country music, and its artists.

An annual award ceremony takes place where miniature Golden Guitars are given as awards to artists and musicians in recognition of their achievements and contributions in the genre of country music. An estimated 3.6 million photographs have been taken of the site since its opening.

In 2018, the Tamworth Visitor Information Centre at the Big Golden Guitar Tourist Centre had 117,000 visitors, and the Council intends to increase visitor numbers. Long-term planning of the site will eventually see a National Guitar Museum established at the site along with a cafe for the tourists. [2]

Design

The Golden Guitar stand approximately 12 metres high [3] and weighs over 500 kilograms. [4] It is constructed out of fibreglass and wood, with steel reinforcements. The Golden Guitar has no strings because it was modeled directly on the Golden Guitar trophies given to winners at the Country Music Awards of Australia ceremony night during the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamworth, New South Wales</span> City in New South Wales, Australia

Tamworth is a city and administrative centre of the north-western region of New South Wales, Australia. Situated on the Peel River within the local government area of the Tamworth Regional Council, it is the largest and most populated city in the region, with a population of 63,920 in 2021, making it the second largest inland city in New South Wales. Tamworth is 318 km (198 mi) from the Queensland border and is located almost midway between Brisbane and Sydney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slim Dusty</span> Australian country music singer-songwriter (1927–2003)

Slim Dusty, AO MBE was an Australian country music singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He was an Australian cultural icon, referred to universally as Australia's King of Country Music and one of the country's most awarded stars, with a career spanning nearly seven decades and producing numerous recordings. He was known to record songs in the legacy of Australia, particularly of bush life and renowned Australian bush poets Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson that represented the lifestyle. The music genre was coined the "bush ballad", a style first made popular by Buddy Williams, the first artist to perform the genre in Australia, and also for his many trucking songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamworth Country Music Festival</span> Annual Australian music festival

The Tamworth Country Music Festival is an annual Australian music festival held for 10 days from Friday to Sunday in mid to late January each year, sometimes including Australia Day, in Tamworth, New South Wales. The festival is the second biggest country music festival in the world, after the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Banana</span> Tourist attraction in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia

The Big Banana is a tourist attraction and amusement park in the city of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. The grounds of the park are set amongst a banana plantation, featuring a large walk-through banana. Built in 1964, it was one of Australia's first Big Things. Other attractions include a downhill toboggan ride, ice skating rink, XD Theatre, Mini Golf, Giant Slide, Laser Tag, a water park and the World of Bananas educational experience. Plantation tours are also available. On the evening of Australia Day 2014, a disused scenic lookout attraction was destroyed by fire. In keeping with the plantation theme, banana-related products are shown or sold in the park which also has a souvenir shop and restaurant. In January 2014, during the peak tourist season the Big Banana received close to 150,000 visitors. The Big Banana has been a family owned business since it was open by Patrick Hughes in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Emmanuel</span> Australian guitarist

William Thomas Emmanuel is an Australian guitarist. Originally a session player in many bands, he has released many award-winning recordings as a solo artist. In June 2010, Emmanuel was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM); in 2011, he was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown. In 2019, he was listed by MusicRadar as one of the 10 best acoustic guitarists in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Kernaghan</span> Musical artist

Lee Kernaghan OAM is an Australian country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. Kernaghan has won four ARIA Awards and three APRA Awards, and has sold over two million albums, and as of 2021, has won 38 Golden Guitars at the Country Music Awards of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Buchanan (musician)</span> Musical artist

Colin Buchanan is an Australian singer, entertainer and multi-instrumentalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gina Jeffreys</span> Australian country singer-songwriter (born 1968)

Gina Jeffreys is an Australian country singer-songwriter and radio presenter.

2TM is an Australian commercial radio station based in Tamworth, New South Wales and is part of the Super Radio Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre</span> Australian indoor arena

Tamworth Regional Entertainment Conference Centre (TRECC) is an Australian arena, located approximately 6 km south of the Tamworth Central Business District, in the suburb of Hillvue and is within walking distance to good accommodation, retail and hospitality outlets.

The Country Music Awards of Australia also known as the Golden Guitar Awards is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, in Tamworth, New South Wales, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. The awards are hosted at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre (TRECC) on the final Saturday night of the Tamworth Festival. They have been held annually since 1973. The first award ceremony had just six awards. The awards show is presented in fornt of live audience made up from the media, the music industry and the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Brand (musician)</span> Australian country musician

Adam Brand is an Australian country singer-songwriter. Brand released his debut album in 1997. He has since released 14 studio albums and has won 12 Country Music Awards of Australia. Adam Brand has been voted CMC Oz Artist of the Year five consecutive years between 2007 – 2011.

Graeme Connors is an Australian country music singer, songwriter, and performer. Connors has released seventeen studio albums and has received fourteen Golden Guitar awards among other prestige Australian country music awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Eckersley (musician)</span> Musical artist

Adam Eckersley is a singer, guitarist and songwriter from Grafton, Australia. He is the former vocalist and lead guitarist of award-winning blues band Bluezone, which have since disbanded. He has also been recently been signed to Universal Music Australia, Eckersley is married to fellow musician, Australian country music singer–songwriter Brooke McClymont, of The McClymonts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joy McKean</span> Australian country music singer-songwriter (1930–2023)

Mildred Geraldine Joy Kirkpatrick, known professionally as Joy McKean, was an Australian country music singer-songwriter and wife and manager of Slim Dusty. Her daughter is country singer and musician Anne Kirkpatrick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stan Coster</span> Musical artist

Stan Coster OAM was an Australian country music singer-songwriter. His songs were regularly performed by Slim Dusty and other singers. He is the father of country music singer Tracy Coster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleyce Simmonds</span> Musical artist

Aleyce Simmonds is an Australian country music recording artist and singer-songwriter. Simmonds' accolades include the Telstra Road to Tamworth Winner in 2004. As a part of her prize Aleyce visited Nashville and recorded a successful single, "Mighty, Mighty Love". Simmonds also won an APRA Award, in 2017 for Country Work of the Year, with her song "Greatest Companion".

Margaret Edwina Lumsden, professionally known as Fanny Lumsden, is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. Lumsden is best known for her ARIA-award winning album Fallow.

Timothy Edmund McNamara was an Australian country music performer, radio presenter and talent scout.

Rick and Thel Carey were an Australian country music duo, consisting of husband and wife Richard Bruce Carey and Thelma Claurine Carey.

References

  1. "Tamworth Music Festival". NineMSN. 8 October 2009. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  2. "Big Golden Guitar talk pulls heart strings". Regional Council Tamworth. 4 April 2019.
  3. "Tamworth". Australia Guide. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  4. "AMAZING MIRACLES TO EXPLORE AUSTRALIA TOUR". RC Sailplane Travel to Australia. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011.

31°7′38.85″S150°55′24.39″E / 31.1274583°S 150.9234417°E / -31.1274583; 150.9234417