Cavalcade fit for a king
It was a street parade fit for a king.
This year's Tamworth Country Music Cavalcade paid tribute to the legendary Slim Dusty, who died 10 years ago last September.
There were more than 100 entries in the 'Songs of Slim' themed procession down Peel Street in Tamworth on Saturday.
Leading the parade was Lee Kernaghan, followed by former cricketer Glenn McGrath who was at the festival for a McGrath Foundation fundraiser.
After the CMAA Country Music Awards that evening Lee Kernaghan now holds 33 Golden Guitars, just four behind Slim Dusty.
Lee's Flying With the King, written by Colin Buchanan, won Single of the Year and also Video Clip of the Year.
The video, directed by Duncan Toombs, featured country artist Bob Easter as Slim Dusty, and in the cavalcade Bob still looked the part.
The cavalcade also featured legends Ted Egan, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday night, and Chad Morgan.
At the Golden Guitar Awards Queensland bush balladeers Dean Perrett and Jeff Brown performed Drover's Boy as a tribute to Ted Egan.
There were also two other musical tributes of the night, and they were to Slim Dusty and Joy McKean.
A host of rising and established country music stars rocked out Slim's Losin' My Blues Tonight' as the awards' finale, and Luke O'Shea performed Lady of the Land.
Luke's salute to Joy McKean, and her contribution to the country music industry, earned him two Golden Guitars for Heritage Song and also the APRA Song of the Year.
Sara Storer won the coveted Album of the Year for Lovegrass, Female Artist of the Year and Vocal Collaboration with John Williamson for the song Pozie.
Back to the cavalcade, and Bec Hance celebrated the working dog with Slim Dusty's Just An Old Cattle Dog, written by Norma Murphy, and even had a few puppies along for the ride.
