Not many country music performers are ever nominated for a Golden Guitar let alone win one, but Port Macquarie 19-year-old Blake O'Connor can tick both boxes.
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The country music singer from the Hastings won the New Talent Of the Year award with song 'Worth A Little More' at the 48th Country Music Awards at Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference.
O'Connor was also nominated for Male Artist Of the Year at the musical extravaganza, which are the nation's longest-running music awards.
"I'm stoked, it's been a bit of a dream of mine for a long time to win a golden guitar. To become a reality it's pretty amazing," he said.
"I was surprised I won because I was one of the young musicians from the bunch nominated and also the only independent one out of the five finalists. To take it out was a bit of a shock to me.
"It's just a bit of a pat on the back to know that you're going alright. I think that's what awards are about and to keep doing what you're doing, it's a bit of a reward."
During the event, O'Connor also performed with country music stars Felicity Urquart and fellow Male Artist of the Year nominee Lee Kernaghan.
"I was only hoping to get the one nomination and to get the nomination for male artist of the year is pretty awesome. To be up against Lee and Morgan Evans who are always killing it, it's pretty special," said O'Connor.
"Winning a Golden Guitar puts you in another calibre of things. Not too many people get nominated and not many people actually win one so having a golden guitar under the belt is a little more credible and it's always good to put on the bio as well."
The singer/songwriter will next tour with American band, Home Free in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane before starting his own tour in March.
He will also be hosting a live show at Wauchope RSL from 7.30pm to 10.30pm on Saturday, March 7.
The Golden Guitar is an impressive start to 2020 for O'Connor who collected the 2019 Toyota Star Maker title at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January last year and released debut album Everything I Feel in July 2019.
On the night, Lee Kernaghan claimed Top Selling Album of the Year. Morgan Evans won Male Artist of the Year and Contemporary Country Album of the Year.
Felicity Urquhart claimed multiple categories with Album of the Year, Traditional Country Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Single of the Year.
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