The cream of country music hit the high note on Thursday, when nominations were announced for the Golden Guitar Awards 2021.

Dreams came true for artists across the nation when the tunes and names were read out in a virtual ceremony, livestreamed from the Tamworth town hall.

Country music sweetheart Fanny Lumsden shone bright at the event, cleaning up eight nominations - the most of any artist this year.

Tom Curtain's collaboration "She Gave Us The Song" recorded with Lee Kernaghan and Sara Storer caught the judges' eye for the 2021 Golden Guitar for Heritage Song of the Year.

The song was inspired by Joy McKean, the country music legend and wife of Slim Dusty.

Kelly Dixon and Garth Porter penned the song, a collaboration between Tom Curtain, Lee Kernaghan and Sara Storer, featured on Tom's latest album, We're Still Here.

The song has already featured at the Golden Guitar Awards presentation, with Tom, Sara, Lee, Troy Cassar-Daley and Lyn Bowtell joining forces at the 2020 event for the finale song in front of music royalty.

"It was humbling to get up there with those amazing artists and perform the song in front of a packed house, but having Joy sitting in the front row was very nerve-wracking," he said.

"It's an honour to pay tribute to Joy through this song with Lee and Sara because she has done so much for country music and for Slim Dusty and is a great songwriter in her own right.

"It's particularly special to have She Gave Us The Song in the top five finalist tracks of the Heritage Song of the Year category in the year the Slim and I documentary also paid tribute to the contribution Joy has made to Australian country music."

Tom won Heritage Song of the Year with Never Never Land in 2018, with Luke O'Shea.

Tom is preparing to start his In The West tour in December, which will take him and his Katherine Outback Experience horse and dog show through Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory if border restrictions allow.

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