Harking back to the days when Johnny Cash was enjoying a string of Top 40 hits around the world as seen in the movie "Walk The Line" Cash was not considered "country".

Acknowledging the potential of emerging Australian artists such as Jake Nickolai and Aleyce Simmonds, Warner went on to talk about the problems for country music at commercial radio with the message that �??if you approach radio with a new CD and call it "country" it will have very limited chances of achieving airplay. A better alternative is to promote new artists as just that, new artists. Call it by any other name, but don�??t call it country!"

Chances are that well known country acts Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, John Denver and even Elvis would not have made it at commercial radio if they had been promoted purely as country singers.

CCMC will be taking up Warner�??s offer to meet with key programmers from major broadcasting stations to explore the possibility of developing a closer working relationship with commercial radio.

During the event hosted by APRA and CCMC, Network Ten's Angela Bishop received the CCMC Award for Media Excellence for her continued support and unbiased reporting on country music events and the CCMC Artist Award for Excellence went to Adam Harvey for his efforts in taking Australian country around the world.

Representing the CMA (the American Country Music Association), Rob Potts surprised Greg Swain, National Manager Regional Project and National Sponsorship for Telstra, with the Jo Walker-Meador Award for his contribution to country music outside of North America. Telstra are the Sponsor of the Telstra County Music Festival in Tamworth annually plus the prestigious Telstra Road To Tamworth talent search.