THE
2027 A.B.B.A. MUSIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS – NOMINEES ANNOUNCED!
The
2027 A.B.B.A Music Excellence Awards nominees have been announced
(20th of October 2026).
Now in its third year, the Australian Bush Balladeers Association
Music Excellence Awards (M.E. Awards) have again drawn solid response
in the Australian Bush Ballad, Traditional Country, and Open Categories.
Congratulations to all nominees, and thank you to all who entered
the 2027 M.E. Awards.
>> Tickets to
the 2027 A.B.B.A. Music Excellence Awards
2027
A.B.B.A. MUSIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Nominees.
Listed
in no particular order.
Announced
20th of October 2026.
AUSTRALIAN
BUSH BALLAD - CONTEMPORARY SONG OF THE YEAR
DEAN
PERRETT - Money or your Mountains (Dean Perrett/Glen Perrett)
BRENDAN RADFORD - Modern Day Troubadour (Brendan
Radford)
LLOYD BACK - Black Cockatoo (Lloyd Back)
ALICE BENFER - Saddle Dreaming (Gregory M. Dillon/Alice
Benfer)
SANDY LOUISE McNAUGHTON - Tears In The Driveway (Sandy
Louise/Bill Chambers)
AUSTRALIAN
BUSH BALLAD - HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR
BRENDAN
RADFORD – EJ (Brendan Radford)
TERRY BENNETTS & GINGER COX - Mr. Kimberley Sam Lovell
AM
(Terry Bennetts/Marie Cox/Ginger Cox)
JOHN O'DEA – Little Town (John O'Dea)
DEAN PERRETT - Phantoms of the Snowy (P. Coad/V.
Hermel)
CHRISTINE CLIFFORD - Rocky's Song (Christine Clifford)
OPEN CATEGORY - VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
JOHN
O'DEA & AMBER JOY POULTON - Darby & Joan (John O'Dea)
BUDDY THOMSON, JOHN SMITH, DEAN PERRETT - Three Old Bushmen
(Words. Stan Coster, Brian Young, Buddy Thomson. Music. Buddy Thomson)
DEAN PERRETT & JEFF BROWN - Home Again (Ray Essery,
Slim Pickens, Dean Perrett)
ANTHONY SNAPE & SAM SNAPE - Big Love In A Small Town
(Anthony Snape/Sam Snape)
BRENDAN RADFORD & BRAD BUTCHER - Picture Show
(Brad Butcher/Brendan Radford)
OPEN CATEGORY - GOSPEL SONG OF THE YEAR
DEAN
PERRETT -This Old Book (Jim Wesley, Dean Perrett, Stuart
French)
LYNNE BENNETT, BUDDY THOMSON, KERRI PERRETT, & DEAN PERRETT
- Put your Faith in the Saviour (Words/Music: Buddy Thomson)
CLAYTON SAUNDERS - Unbroken Grace (Clayton Saunders)
MARK RIGNEY - Jesus Loves Me (Mark Rigney)
CHILLIN' - Judah's Song - A Legacy of Love and Bravery
(Sharon Scott)
OPEN CATEGORY - INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR
PETER
SALATA - El Toro (Peter Salata)
TERRY BENNETTS - Sons Of The Saddle (Terry Bennetts)
OPEN CATEGORY - SINGLE OF THE YEAR
ASHLEY
COOK - Waters Of Lake Eyre (Wilf Elliott)
ANTHONY SNAPE - Outback Sentinels (Anthony Snape/Bruce
Mackay)
CHILLIN' - Straight Into Your Heart (Sharon Scott)
CHRISTINE CLIFFORD - There Goes my Truck (Christine
Clifford)
JOHN O'DEA - Vinyls and Cassettes (John O'Dea)
OPEN CATEGORY - VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR
PETER
SIMPSON OAM - Love and Country Music (Peter Simpson OAM)
(Produced by Neil Tyne)
PETER SALATA - Lend a Hand (Peter Salata) (Produced
by Peter Salata/Annalisse)
JACK GREGORY - Waiting On The Rain (Jack Gregory)
(Produced by Pete Denahy/Director Yack Drone /Alex Corral)
ANTHONY SNAPE (featuring Dobe Newton) - Outback Sentinels
(Anthony Snape/Bruce Mackay) (Produced by Belinda Brooks)
TRADITIONAL
COUNTRY - BLUEGRASS SONG OF THE YEAR
MARK
RIGNEY - I'm Coming Home (Mark Rigney)
DEAN PERRETT - I have Rambled (Dean Perrett)
GABI FORMAN - Kiandra (Gabi Forman)
BRENDAN RADFORD - They Don't Flick The Finger In The Outback
Anymore (Brendan Radford)
TRADITIONAL COUNTRY - HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR
RICK
GAY - Legends Of Gallipoli (Rick Gay)
DALE DUNCAN - The Grit of the Ghan (Manfred Vijars/Stuie
French)
ASHLEY COOK - Kelly Dixon Wrote The Song (Greg Dillon/Shaza
Leigh/Ashley Cook)
JOHN O'DEA – Beltana Hall (John O'Dea)
ALICE BENFER - The Lady Bushranger (Alice Benfer)
TRADITIONAL COUNTRY - SONG OF THE YEAR
KATHY
CARVER - The Old House (Kathy Carver)
ANTHONY SNAPE - Red Dirt Road (Anthony Snape)
DEAN PERRETT - The Rain Upon the Glass (Peter Simpson
OAM)
BRENDAN RADFORD - When We Were Done (Today) (Brendan
Radford)
KERRI PERRETT - Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way (Kerri
Perrett)
AUSTRALIAN BUSH BALLAD - TRADITIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR
TERRY
BENNETTS - A Bushman's Farewell (Terry Bennetts/Terry Piggott)
DEAN PERRETT - The Saddlers Last Ride (Neville Anderson)
BROOKE SEABROOK - Took My Town Away (Brooke Seabrook/Lindsay
Waddington)
PATTI MORGAN - Australian Skies (V. Hermel)
KERRI PERRETT - Dusty Dreams (Kerri Perrett)
OPEN
CATEGORY - CLASSIC SONG OF THE YEAR
DIANNE
LINDSAY OAM - Days Of Old Khancoban (Smoky Dawson/Trevor
Knight)
ASHLEY COOK - Back to those Rolling Plains (Gordon
Parsons)
JOHN O'DEA - Those Holden Days (Stuie French)
DEAN PERRETT - Bush Bred Girl (Stan Coster)
BRENDAN RADFORD - Hello Or Goodbye (Brendan Radford)
THANK
YOU
Thank
you again to all who entered for your valued support of the M.E. Awards,
and congratulations to the 2027 nominees.
Thank you to our judging panels for your time and expertise.
Thank you to Sue @ Songcentral for your help and assistance with the
M.E. Awards platform.
Thank you to all who help promote and share information about the
M.E. Awards.
Your efforts are a major contribution to helping raise awareness of
the awards and the artists involved.
WHEN
WILL THE 2027 A.B.B.A. M.E. AWARDS BE HELD?
The
2027 A.B.B.A. Music Excellence Awards Concert will be held at the
Balladeers Homestead, as part of the Tamworth Country Music Festival
in January 2027, Thursday 21st from 6.30pm at the ‘Balladeers
Homestead’, 328 Goonoo Goonoo Road, Tamworth NSW 2340.
Winners will be announced during a concert of guest artists.
TICKETS?
Tickets available online from the 1st of November 2026
via trybooking and also available at the door on the night.
Book
Now
MORE
INFORMATION?
For more information about the Balladeers Homestead, Concert or Showcase
Artists ticketing go to
Balladeers
Homestead
For
2026 and 2025 M.E. Award
recipients and nominees follow links.
2026
2025
