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Media Release: Monday February 15, 2016

KELSEA BALLERINI TO CO-HOST

WITH MORGAN EVANS

SHANE NICHOLSON & BECCY COLE

JOIN STELLAR PERFORMANCE LINE-UP

Foxtel and Country Music Channel (CMC), Australia’s only destination for country music, are thrilled to announce rising new star KELSEA BALLERINI to co-host The 6th Annual CMC Music Awards with CMC ambassador MORGAN EVANS.

Hailed as “Country’s Next Queen” by Billboard, KELSEA BALLERINI, makes her first international tour to Australia to perform and co-host the awards.

“I’ve heard that the country music community in Australia is so incredible, and to witness it first hand, is something I have been looking forward to”, said the Black River Entertainment recording artist.

“I’m so excited to celebrate country music with Morgan and all the artists at the CMC Music Awards this year”, Kelsea continued. “It’s my first time hosting .. wish me luck!”

Foxtel and CMC today also announced the final two performers; local favourites SHANE NICHOLSON and BECCY COLE who will join the line-up of performing first class international and local artists, including country music superstar JASON ALDEAN, the hottest country act FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE who hit Australian soil for the first time and rounding up the line-up, Australia’s own ADAM HARVEY who all perform LIVE at The 6th Annual CMC Music Awards.

The CMC Music Awards will take place at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) on Thursday March 10 and broadcast live on Foxtel’s Country Music Channel (CMC) at 8.30pm AEST and encored on FOX8, Sunday March 13 at 4.30pm AEST.

Kelsea Ballerini first launched to stardom with the release of her # 1, GOLD-certified debut “Love Me Like You Mean It” and follow-up, Top 10-and-climbing single “Dibs.” She is the first solo female artist in nine years to hit # 1 with her debut country single and is one of only 11 women to have ever hit the top of the charts with a debut release. Following the release of her debut album THE FIRST TIME (Black River Entertainment), the talented singer/songwriter topped multiple 2015 Year-End lists and racked up her first CMT, CMA and AMA award nominations. Most recently earning a pair of nominations for the upcoming ACM awards (Female Vocalist of the Year & New Female Vocalist of the Year), she received Billboard’s “Rising Star” award at the prestigious 2015 Women In Music event.

Brisbane born singer-songwriter, producer and three time ARIA winner, Shane Nicholson first made waves with rock band Pretty Violet Stain and released his debut solo album It’s A Movie in 2002. Since then Nicholson has released five critically acclaimed solo albums, including Familiar Ghosts (2008) and Bad Machines (2011) and has picked up eight Golden Guitars, two APRA Awards and two ARIA Awards along the way.

Nicholson’s sixth solo album Hell Breaks Loose won the ARIA Award for Best Country Album and the CMAA Golden Guitar for Alternative Country Album of The Year.

Australian country songstress Beccy Cole has delighted country music fans for more than twenty years and has become one of the nation’s most-loved and celebrated artists. Her tenth release Sweet Rebecca, is a reflection of her life thus far, both onstage and off. With nine Golden Guitars to her name (including four for Female Vocalist of the Year), as well as multiple ARIA Top 10 Country and Top 40 Mainstream albums, a Top 10 DVD, three gold certified releases, and more than a dozen No. 1 Australian country singles, Beccy Cole is one of Australia’s most successful singer-songwriters.

The CMC Music Awards are the only viewer voted country music awards in the southern hemisphere, giving fans the opportunity to vote for their favourite Australian and International country artists.

Voting for The 6th Annual CMC Music Awards 2016 is still open by visiting countrymusicchannel.com.au. Every vote for The 6th Annual CMC Music Awards puts you in the draw for the major prize, a trip to the 2016 CMC Music Awards and CMC Rocks QLD in March. Full Terms & Conditions are on the website.

The 6th Annual CMC Music Awards kick off a star studded week in country music in Australia with CMC Rocks QLD 2016, country and roots biggest music event to follow. Now in its ninth year CMC Rocks is the largest international country music festival in the southern hemisphere.

Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Kelsea Ballerini and Morgan Evans will entertain audiences again, performing at CMC Rocks QLD 2016 which is held over three days and nights, March 11, 12 and 13 at Willowbank near Ipswich and will telecast on CMC. Tickets for CMC Rocks QLD 2016 are now sold out!

Foxtel and CMC are proud to partner with Tourism and Events Queensland to bring the CMC Music Awards to Queensland. CMC Music Awards and CMC Rocks QLD are part of the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar, showcasing Australia’s best live events in spectacular destinations.

Tickets for The 6th Annual CMC Music Awards are going fast. To visit www.qpac.com.au or 136 246. For more information regarding the CMC Music Awards go to www.countrymusicchannel.com.au

-Brad