2022 50c ANDA Perth 50th Anniversary Tamworth Country Music Festival PNC

Over the festival’s lifetime, it has not only galvanised generations of performers and fans, but it has also made Tamworth synonymous with country music in Australia. And that was always the plan. The origins of the festival go back to Radio 2TM launching the Country Music Awards in January 1973. This was part of broader efforts being made to make Tamworth, New South Wales, the country music capital of Australia. Nevertheless, 1973 was a watershed moment, and that year Joy McKean took out the inaugural Golden Guitar Award for “Lights on the Hill”.