Tom Curtain’s trophy shelf is groaning after adding another four accolades to his name at The Southern Stars Australian Independent Country Music Awards in Mildura on the weekend.
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The Katherine country artist couldn’t ask for a better year than 2018 after winning Independent Male Artist of the Year, Single of the Year, Album of the Year and Independent Artist of the Year.
These come on top of two Golden Guitars in Tamworth in January for his song and video for Never Never Land with Luke O’Shea. A few short months ago, he also got married to Annabel McLarty, making 2018 a year that’s hard to beat.
“It’s pretty mind blowing; I’m still in shock,” he said.
“John Arnold asked me to come and sing at the awards and I felt bad because I hadn’t been for a few years, so we moved a few things around and made a few red eye flights to fit it all in.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m very grateful and overwhelmed by the whole awards night.”
The singer, who also trains horses and dogs and runs Katherine Outback Experience with his wife, won Capital News Independent Male Artist of the Year for Territory Time, the title track of his album, which took out APRA AMCOS Australian Independent Album of the Year, Never Never Land, with Luke O’Shea, won APRA AMCOS Australian Independent Country Music Single of the Year, and he won the overall award for Independent Artist of the Year.
Tom travelled overnight from Perth after attending a wedding, to get to rehearsals and then the awards, but it was worth the trip across the continent.
“I brought my brother Carl with me because 13 years ago I was up for an award, so we drove 17 hours one way, missed out on the award, and drove back 17 hours,” Tom said.
“This time I shouted him a flight to Mildura from Melbourne and it was pretty cool for him to be here for the four awards.”
Topping off the night, Tom won Independent Artist of the Year and performed his Golden Guitar winning song, Never Never Land with Luke O’Shea.
“It was very special to get back up on stage with Luke who presented Independent Male Artist of the Year to me,” he said.
“It was really cool to have him there and get to explain to the audience about how he and I met and wrote some songs and how he kicked me into gear to get me going again in music.”
Tom said it was rewarding to see his hard work paying off.
He has just released Where The Pindan Meets The Ocean, his fourth single off the album, Territory Time, and will begin an extensive tour at the end of this year and into 2019, incorporating school visits where he will promote the message behind his single, Speak Up, in support of Dolly’s Dream to stamp out bullying.
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