---

 

THE
A.B.B.A.
MUSIC EXCELLENCE
AWARDS

Recognising
Achievement in

AUSTRALIAN BUSH BALLAD

& TRADITIONAL
COUNTRY MUSIC

 

---

For the 2025 ME Award Recipents & Nominees
please go to >>>>

---

2026

A.B.B.A.
MUSIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Winners

23rd January 2026

---

To see
the ME Award winners & Nominees 2025
Go to

 

---

 

 

The 2026 A.B.B.A. MUSIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS
winners announced!

The Australian Bush Balladeers Association Inc. MUSIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS once again drew great support in their 2nd year from Australian Bush Balladeers and Traditional Country Music artists alike.

Winners of these prestigious awards were announced at the Balladeers Homestead on Thursday 23rd of January 2026 at the ME Awards concert.

The awards evening featured performances between announcements from Ernie Constance • Pete Smith • Alice Benfer • Trent Holder • Justin Standley • Anita Ree • Kylie Castle • Peter Pratt • Pat Brown • Crow Mountain • Tom Maxwell

The Awards Band were: Rob Walters, Jim Hermel, & Trent Holder.

Presenters on the night were: Mike Smith, Ernie Constance, Crow Mountain, Mark Eckel, Anita Ree, Peter Pratt and Justin Standley.

The Awards night was hosted by: Kylie Castle & Peter Pratt

A new ABBA award was introduced ABBA Music Industry Legend Award which was presented to Terry Gordon OAM. Rodney Vincent accepted the award on Terry’s behalf.

A huge thank you to all who entered, and congratulations to the 2026 Nominees Winners.

Winners marked with * below.

Congratulations once again to all.

Other awards announced on the night were the ABBA Life Membership Award which went to Gus Helm, The ABBA Industry Achievement Award which went to Lindsay Butler OAM

The Bluey Francis Memorial Award was presented to Caitlyn Jamison.

2026 M.E. AWARDS PHOTOS >>>

--------------------------------------------

 

AUSTRALIAN BUSH BALLAD - CONTEMPORARY SONG OF THE YEAR

DIANNE COOMBES – Through the Winter – Dianne Coombes
ANTHONY SNAPE – Storytellers – Bruce Mackay (Mack Country) /Anthony Snape
*** Winner BRENDON WALMSLEY - Cooladdi – Brendon Walmsley
DEAN PERRETT – Roadtrain Country – Angus Gill/Dean Perrett/Alan Mackey/Kelly Dixon
OWEN SMITH feat. MATT SCULLION - Upper Class Bogan – Owen Smith/Matt Scullion

 

 

AUSTRALIAN BUSH BALLAD - HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR

ASHLEY COOK – Diamonds from the Moon – Shaza Leigh & Rick Aitchison
*** Winner DEAN PERRETT – Flynn Of The Inland – Neville Molloy/Dean Perrett
DIANNE LINDSAY - Ladies Of The Land – Peter Simpson & Dianne Lindsay
KERRI PERRETT – White Crosses and the Rose – Glen Perrett/Dean Perrett
VICTORIA CROSBY – Flowers for Annie – Victoria Anne Crosby

 

 

AUSTRALIAN BUSH BALLAD - TRADITIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR

TERRY BENNETTS – Chasing Rabbits In Her Sleep – Terry Bennetts
PAUL RICKETTS – Barefoot On The Dirt – Paul Ricketts
PATTI MORGAN – The Old Condamine – Virginia Hermel
ALLAN CASWELL – When Scotty Was Still In His Prime – Allan Caswell/Lindsay Waddington
*** Winner DEAN PERRETT – Rawbelle – Dean Perrett/Steve Hadley

 

OPEN CATEGORY - CLASSIC SONG OF THE YEAR

RODNEY WALKER - The Crow Flying Backwards – Doug Strong
DEAN PERRETT & KERRI PERRETT – Things are Not The Same On The Land – Bill Chambers
MARK RIGNEY – Diamantina Drover – Hugh McDonald
*** Winner DEAN PERRETT – Grandfather Johnson – Joy McKean
SANDY SUMMERS – Odds on Love – Bruce Mackay (Mack Country)
Sandra Halverson (Sandy Summers)

 

 

OPEN CATEGORY - GOSPEL SONG OF THE YEAR

ALEX VARLOW & RAYLYN VARLOW – One Short Hour – Alex Varlow
*** Winner BRENDON WALMSLEY – God Loves Country Music – Brendon Walmsley
TINA PETTARAS – What Would I Say To Jesus – Tina Pettaras
BRENDON WALMSLEY/STEVE GRACE/COLIN BUCHANAN - He’s Got The Whole World – Brendon Walmsley/Colin Buchanan

 

 

 

OPEN CATEGORY - INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR

MARK RIGNEY – Bush Dance Boogie - Mark Rigney
PEGGY GILCHRIST – Southern Sky – Clayton Saunders
*** Winner TERRY BENNETTS/PETER DENAHY/IAN SIMPSON/MARK DONOHOE/JOHN BENNETTS – Slab Hut Gully - Terry Bennetts
ANTHONY BAXTER – The Jumping Jackaroo – Anthony Baxter/Shaza Leigh

 

OPEN CATEGORY - VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR

MATT SCULLION – The Boy From Birchip – Matt Scullion (produced by - Gavin Rawlings (Venture Films)
STUDIO 8 – Two Lonely Cowboys and a Half-done Bottle Of Rum – Michelle Morgan/Luke Johnson/Ben Johnson (produced by - Perrin Finlay-Brown
*** Winner THE WATER RUNNERS – Shelter – John Littrich/Neil McCann (produced by - Blake Lauricella)
BRENDON WALMSLEY – God Loves Country Music – Brendon Walmsley (produced by - Jake Lodder)
OWEN SMITH feat. MATT SCULLION – Upper Class Bogan – Owen Smith/Matt Scullion (produced by - Brainsplode - Owen Smith & Jackson Irwin)

 

 

 

TRADITIONAL COUNTRY - BLUEGRASS SONG OF THE YEAR

MARK RIGNEY – Blackfire Hill – Mark Rigney
JEANNIE KAY – 18 Mountain Drive - Jeannie Kay/Stewart Porter
DIANNE COOMBES – Getting On With Getting Over You –Angus Gill/Jon Weisberger
*** Winner ALLAN CASWELL & LINDSAY WADDINGTON – Always Ride A Train – Allan Caswell/Lindsay Waddington
THE WATER RUNNERS – Shelter – John Littrich/Neil McCann

 

 

TRADITIONAL COUNTRY - HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR

JEANNIE KAY – Western Queensland – Jeannie Kleynhans (Kay)/Stewart Porter
DON ALLEN – Whiskey & Guitars – Don Allen/Paul John Middlebrook
*** Winner DEAN PERRETT – Bush Troubadour – Pete Denahy/Dean Perrett
KATHY CARVER – My Country My Australia – Clem O’Dea
ANDREW RYAN – Like It’s Yesterday – Andrew Ryan

 

 

TRADITIONAL COUNTRY - SONG OF THE YEAR

DEAN PERRETT – Famous at Home – Colin Buchanan/Dean Perrett
RODNEY VINCENT – Country Music Man – Rodney Vincent/Michael Cristiano
*** Winner BRENDON WALMSLEY – Road To Riverleigh – Brendon Walmsley
WILLIAM ALEXANDER – Boundary Rider Blues – William Alexander/Robert Dickinson
CHRISTINE CLIFFORD – The Overland Corner Hotel – Christine Clifford/Anthony Davis

 

2026 M.E. AWARDS PHOTOS >>>

---

---

 

 

2027 AWARDS
open 1st of July 2026

---