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Graeme Connors

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Graeme Connors
Born29 April 1956 (1956-04-29) (age 68)
Mackay, Queensland, Australia
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • composer
  • musician
Years active1974–present

Graeme Connors (born 29 April 1956) is an Australian country music singer, songwriter, and performer. Connors has released seventeen studio albums and has received fourteen Golden Guitar awards among other prestige Australian country music awards.

In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, Graeme Connors was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for his role as an "Influential Artists".[1]

In 2016, Connors was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown.[2]

Career

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1965-1987: Early career

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Graeme attended school St. Patricks in Mackay. Graeme commenced his music career in the mid-1970s doing support vocals for many well-known acts of the day.

In 1974, at the age of 18, Connors opened for American singer/songwriter, Kris Kristofferson during his Australian tour. Kristofferson was so impressed with young Connors, that he took him into the recording studio to produce his 1976 debut album And When Morning Comes.[3]

From the late 1970s through to the late 1980s, Connors wrote songs that became big hits for Slim Dusty, John Denver and Jon English.

Connors spent the first half of the 1980s writing songs based on truck driving which became hits for Slim Dusty such as "I'm Married to My Bulldog Mack" and "Dieseline Dreams".

The 1987-present

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In 1988, Connors had recorded and released the breakthrough single "A Little Further North", featured on his first album on the Australian ABC Records label, North. Subsequent singles followed with the releases of "Let the Canefields Burn", "Cyclone Season", "Sicilian Born" and "A Heartache (Or Two)".

In 1995 - Connors released the album The Here and Now and won three golden guitars at the CMAA Awards, including Album of the Year. In 1995, Connors won MO Award for Male Country Performer of the Year and was Inducted into the Hands of Fame.[4]

In 1998 Connors wrote the Cowboys Theme song "The Cowboys are my Team".[3]

In 2000, Connors performed at both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2000 Paralympics and he wrote their theme song "Being Here".[4]

In 2011, Connors was awarded Album of the Year at the 2011 Tamworth Country Music Festival for Still Walking.[4]

Discography

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
AUS
[5][6]
And When Morning Comes -
North
  • Released: April 1988
  • Label: ABC Music (479593-2)
  • Format: CD, LP
 99
  • ARIA: Platinum[4]
South of These Days
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: ABC Music (479614-2)
  • Format: CD, LP
 -
Tropicali
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: ABC Music (510307-2)
  • Format: CD, LP
 -
The Return
  • Released: May 1993
  • Label: ABC Music (514511-2)
  • Format: CD, Cassette
 90
Homeland
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: The Panama Music Company (423576-2)
  • Format: CD, Cassette
 -
The Here and Now
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: ABC Country (489119-2)
  • Format: CD, Cassette
 -
The Road Less Travelled
  • Released: August 1996
  • Label: ABC Country (489598-2)
  • Format: CD, Cassette
 62
One of the Family
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: ABC Country
  • Format: CD, Cassette
 -
A Delicate Balance
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: ABC Country (520795 2)
  • Format: CD, Cassette
 94
This Is Life
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: ABC Country (2558302953)
  • Format: CD
 60
The Moment
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: ABC Country
  • Format: CD, Dd
 -
The Last Supperteers (with The Fiddler's Feast)
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: Panama Music (70510518819)
  • Format: CD, Digital download
 -
Still Walking
  • Released: 2010[7]
  • Label: Panama Music (1794200015)
  • Format: CD, Digital download
 -
At the Speed of Life
  • Released: 2011[8]
  • Label: Panama Music
  • Format: CD, Digital download
 -
Kindred Spirit
  • Released: 2013[9]
  • Label: Panama Music (1794200018)
  • Format: CD, Digital download
 -
From the Backcountry
  • Released: 3 August 2018[10]
  • Label: Panama Music (1794200018)
  • Format: CD, Digital download
 31

Live albums

[edit]
List of live albums, with selected details
Title Album details
#1 Hits Live
  • Released: May 2018[11]
  • Label: Panama Music
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Compilation albums

[edit]
List of compilation, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
AUS
[5]
The Best... Til' Now
  • Released: October 2000
  • Label: ABC Music (520795-2)
  • Format: CD
 45
It's All Good... More of the Best
  • Released: 2006[12]
  • Label: Panama Music (1794200013)
  • Format: CD
 -
60 Summers – The Ultimate Collection
  • Released: 29 April 2016[13]
  • Label: (4785233)
  • Format: 2x CD, DD
 11

Awards and nominations

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AIR Awards

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The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2012[14] At the Speed of Life Best Independent Country Album Nominated

APRA Awards

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The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. Lewis has won three awards from seven nominations.[15]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1986 "I'm Married To My Bulldog Mack" (written by Graeme Connors / Doug Trevor) Most Performed Australasian Country Work Won
1990 "A Little Further North Each Year" (written by Graeme Connors) Most Performed Australasian Country Work Won
1998 "Road Less Travelled" by Graeme Connors (written by Graeme Connors) Most Performed Australasian Country Work Nominated
1998 "These Uncertain Times" by Graeme Connors (written by Graeme Connors) Most Performed Australasian Country Work Nominated
2002 "Good Things in Life" by Adam Brand (written by Adam Brand & Graeme Connors) Most Performed Australasian Country Work Nominated

ARIA Music Awards

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The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Connors has won one award from four nominations.[16]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1992 Tropicali Best Country Album Nominated
1994 The Return Best Country Album Nominated
1996 The Here and Now Best Country Album Nominated
1997 The Road Less Travelled Best Country Album Won

Country Music Awards (CMAA)

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Connors has won fourteen Golden guitar awards at the Tamworth Country Music Awards of Australia and was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown.[3]

  • Note: Wins Only
Year Nominee / work Award Result
1989 "We've Done Us Proud" (recorded by Slim Dusty) Song of the Year Won
1995 "Songs from the Homeland" Song of the Year Won
1995 Homeland Album of the Year Won
1995 Homeland' Male Vocalist of the Year Won
1996 "The Great Australian Dream" Song of the Year Won
1996 "Slowly But Surely" (with Rosemary Rae) Vocal Collaboration of the Year Won
1996 "The Ringer and the Princess" Bush Ballad Heritage Song Won
1996 "The Great Australian Dream" Video Track of the Year Won
1997 The Road Less Travelled Album of the Year Won
1997 "The Road Less Travelled" Male Vocalist of the Year Won
2001 "Good Things in Life" (recorded by Adam Brand) Song of the Year Won
2004 "The Simple Truth" Video Track of the Year Won
2011 "A Good Life" Male Artist of the Year Won
2011 Still Walking Album of the Year Won
2017 himself Australian Roll of Renown inductee

Mo Awards

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The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Graeme Connors won two awards in that time.[17]

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only)
1994 Graeme Connors Male Country Entertainer of the Year Won
1996 Graeme Connors Male Country Entertainer of the Year Won

Tamworth Songwriters Awards

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The Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA) is an annual songwriting contest for original country songs, awarded in January at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. They commenced in 1986.[18] Graeme Connors won nine awards in that time.[19][3]

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only)
1992 Graeme Connors Songmaker Award Won
1994 "Prodigal Son" Contemporary Song of the Year Won
Country Song of the Year Won
1995 "Songs from the Homeland" Contemporary Song of the Year Won
1996 "The Great Australian Dream" Contemporary Song of the Year Won
1997 "The Road Less Travelled" Contemporary Song of the Year Won
1998 "I Believe in Santa Claus" Children's Song of the Year Won
"One Child Born" Gospel Song of the Year Won
2000 "These Uncertain Times" Contemporary Song of the Year Won

Other Awards

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  • 1975 American Song Festival Award[3]
  • 1976 American Song Festival Award[3]
  • 2000 Victorian Country Music Awards - Song of the Year "These Uncertain Times"[3]
  • 2005 Victorian Country Music Awards - Song of the Year "Hard Decisions"[3]
  • 2009 Q150 Queensland Icon Award[3]
  • 2011 WARP Gold Medallion Award (Queensland Male Vocalist of the Year)[3]

References

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  1. ^ Bligh, Anna (10 June 2009). "PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND'S 150 ICONS". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 24 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Roll of Renown". TCMF. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "About Graeme Connors". Graeme Connors. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "GRAEME CONNORS - 2016". countrymusichalloffame. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 65.
  6. ^ "Australian Charts Graeme Connors". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Still Walking (DD)". Apple Music. 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  8. ^ "At the Speed of Life (DD)". Apple Music. 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Kindred Spirit". Apple Music. 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  10. ^ "From the Backcountry". Apple Music. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  11. ^ "1 Hits Live". Apple Music. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  12. ^ "Graeme Connors". Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  13. ^ "60 Summers – The Ultimate Collection". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  14. ^ "NOMINATIONS: 2012 Jagermeister Independent Music Awards". Australian Independent Record Labels Association. 17 September 2012. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  15. ^ "Graeme Connors APRA search". APRA Awards (Australia). Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  16. ^ "Grame Connors search". ARIA search. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  17. ^ "MO Award Winners". Mo Awards. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  18. ^ "Tamworth Songwriters Association". Tamworth Songwriters Association Online. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  19. ^ "Tamworth Songwriters Association Past Winners". Tamworth Songwriters Association Online. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
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