From all the entries that were submitted for the 2018 Americana Music Prize of Australia, the panel have whittled down the list to the fifteen finalists who are in with a chance to win a $10,000 prize pack.

The joint initiative between esteemed country musician Shane Nicholson, the Forbes Street Studios and Lost Highway Australia, the prize will take the form in an annual grant, set to support up and coming artists in the genre.

The winner will be announced on March 24th at the Crossroads in the Vines festival in NSW.

Nicholson hand picked the judging panel that includes:

• Rod Yates (Editor, Rolling Stone)
• Brian Taranto (Love Police)
• Bernard Zuel (Journalist)
• Chris Familton (Post To Wire)
• Tim Daley (Country Music Channel)
• Michael Taylor (Lost Highway/Universal)
• Tracey Griffiths (Dashville Skyline)
• Graham Thompson (Artist Manager)
• Matt Fell (Record Producer)
• Alison Avron (The Newsagency)
• Jeremy Dylan (Filmmaker)
• Henry Wagons (Artist)
• Brian Wise (Rhythms magazine founder and music writer)
• Jane Gazzo (Triple M)
• Denise Hylands (RRR-Twang)

The Americana Music Prize of Australia – Top Fifteen Finalists

Andy Golledge – 1170

Badgerhands – Paper Throne

Ben Leece – Smoke Signals

Dave Garnham – Worst House In The Best Street

Jess Dale – Leaving Woman Blues (I Know, I Know,)

Jordie Lane – Black Diamond

Karl S. Williams – The Darkest Cloud

Kelly Brouhaha – As Long As There’s A Smile

Larissa Tandy – Harder Heavier

Leanne Tennant – Sorry

Sam Buckingham – Jolene

Sian Evans – Cold Feet

Suicide Swans – Horses

Thomas Keating – Begin Again

Van Walker – Wildgrass