Graeme Connors

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".

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

Career 1965-1987: Early career Connors attended school St. Patricks in Mackay. Connors 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.

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 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.

Released: 1976 Label: Festival Records (L35794) Format: LP

Released: April 1988 Label: ABC Music (479593-2) Format: CD, LP 73 ARIA: Platinum

Released: late 1989 Label: ABC Music (479614-2) Format: CD, LP 114

Released: September 1991 Label: ABC Music (510307-2) Format: CD, LP 121

Released: March 1993 Label: ABC Music (514511-2) Format: CD, Cassette 90

Released: January 1994 Label: The Panama Music Company (423576-2) Format: CD, Cassette 126

Released: May 1995 Label: ABC Country (489119-2) Format: CD, Cassette 157

Released: August 1996 Label: ABC Country (489598-2) Format: CD, Cassette 62 ARIA: Gold Label: Panama Music (1794200015) Format: CD, Digital download

Released: August 2011 Label: Panama Music Format: CD, Digital download

Released: January 2013 Label: Panama Music (1794200018) Format: CD, Digital download

Released: 3 August 2018 Label: Panama Music (1794200018) Format: CD, Digital download 31 Live albums + List of live albums, with selected details Title Album details #1 Hits LiveReleased: May 2018 Label: Panama Music Format: Digital download, streaming

Compilation albums + List of compilation, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications AUS Label: Panama Music (1794200013) Format: CD 165 60 Summers – The Ultimate CollectionReleased: 29 April 2016 Label: ABC Music (4785233) Format: 2xCD, digital 11

Charted singles +List of charted singles in the ARIA top 200, with selected chart positions Title Year Chart positions AUS At the Speed of Life Best Independent Country Album APRA Awards 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. Connors has won three awards from seven nominations. 1986 "I'm Married To My Bulldog Mack" (written by Graeme Connors / Doug Trevor) Most Performed Australasian Country Work 1990 "A Little Further North Each Year" (written by Graeme Connors) Most Performed Australasian Country Work 1998 "Road Less Travelled" by Graeme Connors (written by Graeme Connors) Most Performed Australasian Country Work 1998 "These Uncertain Times" by Graeme Connors (written by Graeme Connors) Most Performed Australasian Country Work 2002 "Good Things in Life" by Adam Brand (written by Adam Brand & Graeme Connors) Most Performed Australasian Country Work

ARIA Music Awards 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. 1992 Tropicali Best Country Album 1994 The Return Best Country Album 1996 The Here and Now Best Country Album 1997 The Road Less Travelled Best Country Album

Country Music Awards (CMAA) Connors has won fourteen Golden guitar awards at the Tamworth Country Music Awards of Australia and was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown. (wins only) 1994 Graeme Connors Male Country Entertainer of the Year 1996 Graeme Connors Male Country Entertainer of the Year

Tamworth Songwriters Awards 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. Graeme Connors won nine awards in that time. (wins only) 1992 Graeme Connors Songmaker Award

Contemporary Song of the Year Country Song of the Year 1995 "Songs from the Homeland" Contemporary Song of the Year 1996 "The Great Australian Dream" Contemporary Song of the Year 1997 "The Road Less Travelled" Contemporary Song of the Year

"I Believe in Santa Claus" Children's Song of the Year "One Child Born" Gospel Song of the Year 2000 "These Uncertain Times" Contemporary Song of the Year

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