Wolfe Brothers success at the Golden Guitar Awards

Tasmanian country music legends The Wolfe Brothers have thanked their loyal “Wolfe Pack” saying their latest Golden Guitars success is “as much your win as ours – we bloody luv ya”.

The farming duo collected five Golden Guitars at the 54th Australian Country Music Awards in Tamworth last week to bring their tally to 15.

Tom Wolfe, who lives at Nieka, and Nick Wolfe, from Evandale, won the Toyota Album of the Year for their latest release, Australian Made.

They also secured Contemporary Album of the Year, Heritage Song Group and Duo of the Year and Vocal Collaboration of the Year with Zac & George for their track How Many One More Times.

Bringing back the gold to Tasmania, the Wolfe brothers said they were overwhelmed and overjoyed.

“To the fans who come to the shows and carry these songs into their own lives, we are eternally grateful.”

After a heavy year of gigs and music festivals around the country the Wolfe brothers played to sold out shows at Dodges Ferry Hotel and Longley International Hotel in December before taking a break.

Tom said the Golden Guitar result was far beyond what they had anticipated.

“We’re really proud of the album, it’s some of our better work and it’s so validating when the industry accepts what you’re doing,” he said. “Tasmania’s had a few winners in the past and there’s some young up-and-coming artists chasing the dream – we’re just proud to be Tasmanian and we love it here and that’s why we choose to live here.”

Tom recently announced he’s closing the Wolfe’s Berry farm shopfront to concentrate on online sales and strike a better work and family life balance.

“This is our last season opening the shop – we think we might go back and do some markets, and we’ll certainly keep growing and selling – but spending more time with the kids is the main aim.”

The Wolfe Brothers are back in the state with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra at Wrest Point in Hobart on February 6 and at the Albert Hall in Launceston on February 7, followed by Spreyton Cidery on March 28.

During the Tamworth Country Music Festival Tom and Nick also had their handprints added to the Hands of Fame Park – 20 years after they first visited Tamworth with their parents.

Another highlight was the announcement of the 46th Toyota Star Maker which went to Jarrad Wrigley, who recently played a series of gigs in Tasmania and worked as a roustabout on several sheep properties.

Following in the footsteps of his mentor James Blundell, the former Farmer Wants A Wife contestant from Queensland won the life-changing title and collected a prize package worth more than $100,000 after delivering a standout performance at the festival’s Grand Final concert.

Jarrad arrived in Tamworth in 2022 as a complete unknown, performing more than 20 shows in six days across Peel Street, the Courthouse Hotel and the Toyota main stage, ultimately winning third place in the Busking Championships. That same year he released his first two singles while touring towns and cities nationwide.

A graduate of JMC Academy, Jarrad sharpened his craft by forming a band that played weekly throughout Queensland and New South Wales, also supporting James Blundell whose farm is now his home base.

National audiences came to know him as Farmer Jarrad, The Singing Cowboy on Farmer Wants A Wife, a moment that rapidly expanded his loyal fanbase.