People's Choice flooded with votes

People's Choice flooded with votes

Organisers of the annual Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards have been inundated with votes for the 2014 presentation.

The voting, which closed only a few weeks ago, has been the strongest in the Awards' 14-year history with well over 90,000 individual votes cast for hundreds of different artists, groups, songs, albums, videos, radio presenters, stations and/or programs.

"We've been working on validating, sorting and counting the votes since the voting closed," said Bob Kirchner, spokesman for the Country Music Bulletin, organisers of the scheme that provides a means for members of the public to vote for their favourites.

"Normally we would have announced our finalists by now," Bob said, "but we will need to work through some of the Christmas/New Year break to make sure everything is right."

He said it was expected finalists would now be announced on or near New Year's Day.

"To say we are delighted with this result is an understatement," Bob said. "And what a great reflection this is on the country music industry. For so many people to take the time to reflect on and vote for their favourites tells me the grassroots support for country music in Australia is huge.

"It also speaks volumes for the work artists are putting in on the ground, recording, touring and promoting their music.

"Not to forget Australia's hard-working broadcasting sector, too," Bob said. "Dozens and dozens of individuals and stations are recognised through the People's Choice Awards scheme for what they do in bringing the music to the people and supporting our artists."

The Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards, sponsored by the Trans-Help Foundation, recognises finalists and winners in 11 categories and will be staged in Country Music Capital's Capitol Theatre at 10am on Wednesday, January 22.

Weblink – www.peopleschoiceawards.com.au .