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.

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