Adam Brand has won this year's AIR Award for Best Independent Country Album for Hell Of A Ride.

Brand was up against fellow Compass Bros label mates Kirsty Lee Akers' Better Days, James Blundell's Portrait Of A Man and Tania Kernaghan's Livin' The Dream.

Troy Cassar-Daley, Adam Brand, The McClymonts, Amber Lawrence and Keith Urban are amongst the finalists for this year's CMAA Country Music Awards (Golden Guitars).

For full finalist details visit www.country.com.au

Australia's independent music awards, the 2009 AIR Awards will be held on November 22 at The Forum in Melbourne.

Nominations for Best Independent Country Album are as follows;

* Adam Brand - Hell of A Ride 
* Amber Lawrence - The Mile
* James Blundell - Portrait Of A Man
* Kirsty Lee Akers - Better Days
* Tania Kernaghan - Livin' The Dream

Following his Dancing With The Stars victory, Adam Brand is giving fans the opporuntiy to download his new single 'Ready For Love'. 

It's the third single from his latest album Hell Of A Ride. 

The album has jumped up the charts this week and has overtaken Taylor Swift at the top of the iTunes Country Sales charts. 

To get the free download, Click Here.  

Oh, and you need to hurry as they are only giving away 3,000 copies! 

Check out the video clip for 'Ready For Love' below...

Following his signing to Sony Music in Nashville, Adam Brand last night became the 2009 Dancing With The Stars champion.

Another Australian artist has now scored a US deal. Adam Brand has inked a record deal with Sony Music Nashville. 

Boys From The Bush: Men Of Aussie Country has debuted at #5 on the ARIA Country Album sales charts this week

This 20 track compilation, themed on a great Aussie song, is a celebration of the great Aussie bloke, great Aussie songs and what it means to be Australian.

Many of the artists on the compilation are also great Australian dads! (hint.. hint..)

It features many of Australia’s favourite male country artists and great Australian icons including Lee Kernaghan, Adam Brand, Troy Cassar-Daley, Adam Brand, Adam Harvey, Steve Forde, Morgan Evans, Peter Denehy and Drew McAllister.

Track Listing: 1. Troy Cassar-Daley – V8 Town 2. Adam Brand - You’re A Rev Head 3. Lee Kernaghan – Southern Son 4. Morgan Evans - Big Skies 5. Matt Scullion – Giddy Up 6. Steve Forde – Roughstock Riders 7. Travis Sinclair – Midnight Run 8. Adam Harvey - Workin’ Overtime (On A Good Time) 9. Mike Carr – Legend 10. 8 Ball Aitken – Cyclone Country 11. Luke O’Shea – No Day Like Today 12. Troy Kemp – Throwaway Day 13. Steven Rowe – Broken Hill 14. Lee Foster – 1000 Headlights 15. Peter Denehy – The Ringing Of The Steel 16. Rob Black – Regular Guy17. Adam James – Country Singer18. Drew McAllister – Somewhere, Somehow 19. Brad Cole – Hits Me Like Lightening 20. Danny Hooper – Heartache

Buy Now at 

Adam Brand will be appearing on Channel 7’s series 9 of Dancing With The Stars which commences on Sunday July 5.

Adam Brand’s 7th album, Hell Of A Ride is set for release on March 7 through Compass Bros Records. It’s his first Nashville produced album, with Richard Landis (who also produced Steve Forde’s Guns & Guitars album last year) at the helm this time around.

“At the very start of writing this album I was asked what was left for me to write about? What did I want to say after 10 years of touring and making albums?” said Brand.

“I thought hard about this question... this was my answer:

“If it was all to end right now, no more concerts, no more albums...I’d want to get every person who has supported me, helped me through the tough times, turned up to shows in the pouring rain, went out and bought my albums, stood by me even when I made mistakes.... and with a cold beer in my hand I’d want to stand in front of them all and say...

"HERES TO THE SINNERS
HERES TO THE SAINTS
HERES TO THE PEOPLE I’D LIKE TO THANK
YOU DRINK TO ME
AND I’LL DRINK TO YOU
LET’S DRINK TOGETHER
BUT BEFORE WE DO
IF I DIE TONIGHT
THAT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT
YOU WANA KNOW WHY
COZ WE HAD ONE HELL OF A RIDE"

“Not a day goes by that I don’t think to myself how lucky I am to do this for a living.”

Check out the new music video from Adam Brand, 'Hell Of A Ride'...

The 37th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, were held tonight in Tamworth. The awards were hosted by Troy Cassar-Daley and Felicity Urquhart.

Big winners on the night were husband and wife duo, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, taking home a total of 5 “Golden Guitar” trophies for their No. 1 Album Rattlin’ Bones.

The couple swept the Awards, winning in the categories of Album of the Year (co-produced by Shane Nicholson & Nash Chambers), APRA Song of the Year, Video Clip of the Year (directed by Helen Clemens), Single of the Year and Top Selling Album Of The Year.

Adam Brand was awarded Male Artist of the Year for the second time, bringing his total career tally to 12 Country Music Awards of Australia.

Being announced Female Artist of the Year capped off a successful year for Catherine Britt. Her album Little Wildflower has received critical acclaim and has scored her three No. 1 airplay singles. Catherine can now add her first Golden Guitar trophy to her mantle.

The McClymonts continued their reign taking out once again the Group or Duo of the Year title, 2009 marks the third consecutive year Brooke, Mollie and Sam have won this Award. They join Bullamakanka in taking out the Group/Duo title over three consecutive years.

The Gibson New Talent Award went to 2008 Toyota Star Maker winner, Talia Wittmann, for Reckless Side of Me.

Melinda Schneider and Paul Kelly won the Vocal Collaboration of the Year Award for Still Here and the Davidson Brothers, Lachlan and Hamish, took home the Fender Instrumental of the Year Award for Left Hand Drive.

For a full list of winners please see below.

Winners in the 2009 CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia

APRA Song of the Year
Rattlin’ Bones - written and recorded by Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson

Vocal Collaboration of the Year
Still Here - Melinda Schneider & Paul Kelly

Bush Ballad of the Year
Australia Is Another Word For Free - written by John Williamson,
recorded by John Williamson, Warren H Williams & Amos Morris

Video Clip of the Year
Rattlin’ Bones - Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson,
directed by Helen Clemens

Single of the Year
Rattlin’ Bones - Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson

Fender Instrumental of the Year
Left Hand Drive - Davidson Brothers

Group or Duo of the Year
Finally Over Blue - The McClymonts

Heritage Song of the Year
Too Dark For The Light Horse - written by Darren Coggan & Ken McBeath,
recorded by Darren Coggan

Highest Selling Album of the Year
Rattlin’ Bones - Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson

Gibson New Talent of the Year
The Reckless Side Of Me - Talia Wittmann

Female Artist of the Year
Catherine Britt - What I Did Last Night

Male Artist of the Year
Get On Down The Road – Adam Brand

Album of the Year
Rattlin’ Bones - Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson
Produced by Nash Chambers & Shane Nicholson

CMC Oz Artist of the Year
Adam Brand

Source: Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA)