Golden Guitars 2025: Troy Cassar-Daley now has 45 career awards in Tamworth
The raw emotionality and honesty of Troy Cassar-Daley’s 12th album saw the singer-songwriter once again lead the winners’ pack in Tamworth on Saturday night. FULL WINNERS LIST
The raw emotionality and honesty of Troy Cassar-Daley’s 12th album has resonated strongly with members of the Australian country music industry, as the singer-songwriter notched five more Golden Guitar Awards in Tamworth on Saturday night.
The new clutch of golden trophies takes Cassar-Daley’s career tally to 45 – a total that puts him further ahead of fellow country icons such as Lee Kernaghan and the late Slim Dusty, who each amassed 38.
His haul included awards for album of the year and alt-country album of the year (for Between the Fires), as well as male artist of the year, heritage song of the year (for Windradyne) and song of the year (for Some Days).
When The Australian met Cassar-Daley in March last year to discuss the story behind his latest set of songs, he was an open book when recalling the twin crises that engulfed his life at the time: the death of his mother Irene Daley at 73, and navigating a thorny patch in his marriage to radio and TV presenter Laurel Edwards.
“The reason that I named the record Between the Fires is because, for the 18 months after losing mum, I felt like I was living between the fire down there at Halfway Creek, and the fire that was about to go out at home,” he said.
“It was a tricky time for me emotionally, because I don’t think I’ve ever felt such grief; my mental health really got a real bashing in that 18 months,” said Cassar-Daley, now 55.
“The music in this record actually was the best therapy I had,” he said. “I got a little bit of therapy, as well – but I think the music was the cherry on the cake for me: I felt like I was able to walk out of the fire by writing the songs.”
When paired with his recent ARIA Award win for best country album – which took his career ARIA tally to six – it caps a remarkable year for the Brisbane-based singer-songwriter, who happily relit the fire with Edwards; the pair will celebrate their 28th year of marriage in 2025.
At the 53rd annual country music celebration — this year co-hosted by rising stars James Johnston and Max Jackson, and held at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC) — other winners on Saturday night included Zac & George (group or duo of the year), Lane Pittman (new talent of the year) and Casey Barnes (contemporary country album of the year).
Co-host Max Jackson, meanwhile, had a night to remember — she was named female artist of the year and took home the trophy for single of the year, for Little More Country — while US-based star Keith Urban made a rare appearance in Tamworth to accept the award for the genre’s top selling album of the year for his 11th LP, titled High.
2025 Golden Guitar Award Winners
Album of the Year: BETWEEN THE FIRES
Troy Cassar-Daley | Producers: Troy Cassar-Daley, Jeff McCormack, Jordan Power
Alt Country Album of the Year: BETWEEN THE FIRES
Troy Cassar-Daley | Producers: Troy Cassar-Daley, Jeff McCormack, Jordan Power
Contemporary Country Album of the Year: MAYDAY
Casey Barnes | Producers: Michael DeLorenzis & Michael Paynter, MSquared
Traditional Country Album of the Year: SETTING SUNS
Ashleigh Dallas | Producer: Brett Dallas
Male Artist of the Year:
Troy Cassar-Daley
Female Artist of the Year:
Max Jackson
Group or Duo of the Year:
Zac & George
Vocal Collaboration of the Year: BEER IN A BAR
The Wolfe Brothers & Kaylee Bell
Bush Ballad of the Year: LAURA & GISELLE
Colin Buchanan | Songwriter: Colin Buchanan
Heritage Song of the Year: WINDRADYNE
Troy Cassar-Daley | Songwriter: Troy Cassar-Daley
Instrumental of the Year: THE RED CENTRE
Lindsay Waddington feat. Brendan Radford
Bluegrass Recording of the Year: LET IT BURN
Kristy Cox
New Talent of the Year:
Lane Pittman
Song of the Year: SOME DAYS
Troy Cassar-Daley | Songwriters: Troy Cassar-Daley & Kevin Bennett
Video of the Year: DHARAWAL
Luke O’Shea | Director: Luke O’Shea & Jay Seeney, Blacklist Productions
Single of the Year: LITTLE MORE COUNTRY
Max Jackson
Top Selling Album of the Year: HIGH
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