AMY SHARK
In 2019 Amy Shark became the first inductee into the Gold Coast Music Awards Hall of Fame, following her third consecutive win as Artist of the year.
The format of the Gold Coast Music Awards Hall of Fame is currently under construction and will be launched during 2022.
Any artist, venue or event that wins the same category three times is inducted into the Gold Coast Music Awards Hall of Fame. The process for nominations outside of the Gold Coast Music Awards is currently being determined. This is a work in progress.
CASEY BARNES
In September 2022 the Gold Coast Music Awards welcomed three time winner of Artist of the Year Casey Barnes as the second inductee to the Hall of Fame. The ever so humble Casey Barnes has been an encourager, way maker and collaborator of the Gold Coast’s music industry since before the inaugural Gold Coast Music Awards in 2015.
“I’m not very often lost for words, but I actually really am at the moment. That has just really blown me away. I’m just so proud, super proud to be a Gold Coaster. Any chance I have ever got in my career to say I’m from the Gold Coast I always do that and it’s for a reason, it’s because we’ve got so much bloody talent here! We really do, we really do.”
Casey has become a household name in the Australian country music genre and has demonstrated to the local scene how important it is to celebrate and encourage others throughout the music industry as a whole.
Winning the 2022 Gold Coast Music Awards (GCMA) Artist of the Year and being inducted into the GCMA Hall of Fame was just the first well-deserved accolade, during a year of career highlights for the hard working star. . ‘Light it Up’ went on to win the 2022 ARIA Award for Best Country Album, followed by winning the top-selling Australian Album of the year. At the Tamworth Country Music Festival 2023, Casey took out two Golden Guitar awards, Toyota Album of the Year and Top Selling Album of the Year.
With more than 25,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, sold out shows across Australia and streaming numbers in the tens of millions Casey was honoured at the annual Gold Coast Music Awards ceremony by Dan Biddle who along with Andrew Stone and Michael ‘Chuggy’ Chugg are Casey’s management team at Chugg Music. Head of Country Music for Chugg Music, Biddle, brought a humble tear to the eye of a true music legend.
“It’s a real testament to Casey’s talent as a songwriter and entertainer, his work ethic and ability to connect with audiences and the industry at large.”
Casey Barnes also recognised the importance and impact that radio and those who work in radio have had on the distribution and support of his music. Thanking one of the Gold Coast Music Award’s newest additions to the judging panel, Andrew Very from event partner Triple M.
“I want to thank my whole team. I also want to thank every radio station… Andrew Very is sitting right up the front who’s from triple M and he is one of a few guys who took a punt on me when they didn’t have to. It’s really difficult to get your stuff played on radio, It’s great to see guys like Andrew Very taking a punt of local talent and playing us on radio so thanks to you mate, it really does mean a lot.”
The Gold Coast Music Network and Awards wish Casey all the best for the next chapter in the talented musician’s career. It has been a real honour to witness Casey’s star rise and to have his support for the Awards, as a champion for the growth and development of the local industry.