Graeme Connors (born 29 April 1956) is an Australian country music singer, songwriter, and performer. Connors has released seventeen studio albums and has received fourteen Golden Guitar awards among other prestige Australian country music awards. In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, Graeme Connors was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for his role as an "Influential Artists". In 2016, Connors was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown.

Career

1965-1987: Early career

Graeme attended school St. Patricks in Mackay. Graeme commenced his music career in the mid-1970s doing support vocals for many well-known acts of the day. In 1974, at the age of 18, Connors opened for American singer/songwriter,

Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – September 28, 2024) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a pioneering figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, moving away from the polished Nashville sound and toward a m ...

during his Australian tour. Kristofferson was so impressed with young Connors, that he took him into the recording studio to produce his 1976 debut album ''And When Morning Comes''. From the late 1970s through to the late 1980s, Connors wrote songs that became big hits for Slim Dusty,

John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American Country music, country and Folk music, folk singer, songwriter, and actor. He was one of the most popular acoustic m ...

and

Jon English Jonathan James English (26 March 1949 – 9 March 2016) was an English-born Australian singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He emigrated from England to Australia with his parents in 1961. He was an early vocalist and rhythm guitarist for S ...

. Connors spent the first half of the 1980s writing songs based on truck driving which became hits for Slim Dusty such as "I'm Married to My Bulldog Mack" and "Dieseline Dreams".

The 1987-present

In 1988, Connors had recorded and released the breakthrough single "A Little Further North", featured on his first album on the Australian ABC Records label, ''North''. Subsequent singles followed with the releases of "Let the Canefields Burn", "Cyclone Season", "Sicilian Born" and "A Heartache (Or Two)". In 1995 - Connors released the album ''The Here and Now'' and won three golden guitars at the CMAA Awards, including Album of the Year. In 1995, Connors won MO Award for Male Country Performer of the Year and was Inducted into the Hands of Fame. In 1998 Connors wrote the Cowboys Theme song "The Cowboys are my Team". In 2000, Connors performed at both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2000 Paralympics and he wrote their theme song "Being Here". In 2011, Connors was awarded Album of the Year at the 2011 Tamworth Country Music Festival for ''Still Walking''.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Charted singles

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as

AIR Awards The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. History The inaugural 2006 awards were held at Blacket Hot ...

) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. , - ,

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

, ''At the Speed of Life'' , Best Independent Country Album , , -

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the

Australasian Performing Right Association APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwri ...

to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. Lewis has won three awards from seven nominations. , - , 1986 , "I'm Married To My Bulldog Mack" (written by Graeme Connors / Doug Trevor) , Most Performed Australasian Country Work , , - , 1990 , "A Little Further North Each Year" (written by Graeme Connors) , Most Performed Australasian Country Work , , - ,

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...

, "Road Less Travelled" by Graeme Connors (written by Graeme Connors) , Most Performed Australasian Country Work , , - ,

, "These Uncertain Times" by Graeme Connors (written by Graeme Connors) , Most Performed Australasian Country Work , , - ,

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

, "Good Things in Life" by Adam Brand (written by Adam Brand & Graeme Connors) , Most Performed Australasian Country Work , , -

ARIA Music Awards

The

ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...

is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Connors has won one award from four nominations. , - ,

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

, ''Tropicali'' , Best Country Album , , - ,

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

, ''The Return'' , Best Country Album , , - ,

1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...

, ''The Here and Now'' , Best Country Album , , - ,

1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...

, ''The Road Less Travelled'' , Best Country Album , , -

Country Music Awards (CMAA)

Connors has won fourteen Golden guitar awards at the Tamworth Country Music Awards of Australia and was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown. *Note: Wins Only , - , 1989 , , "We've Done Us Proud" (recorded by Slim Dusty) , , Song of the Year , , , - , 1995 , , "Songs from the Homeland" , , Song of the Year , , , - , 1995 , , ''Homeland'' , , Album of the Year , , , - , 1995 , , ''Homeland' , , Male Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 1996 , , "The Great Australian Dream" , , Song of the Year , , , - , 1996 , , "Slowly But Surely" (with Rosemary Rae), , Vocal Collaboration of the Year , , , - , 1996 , , "The Ringer and the Princess" , , Bush Ballad Heritage Song , , , - , 1996 , , "The Great Australian Dream" , , Video Track of the Year , , , - , 1997 , , ''The Road Less Travelled'' , , Album of the Year , , , - , 1997 , , "The Road Less Travelled" , , Male Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 2001 , , "Good Things in Life" (recorded by Adam Brand) , , Song of the Year , , , - , 2004 , , "The Simple Truth" , , Video Track of the Year , , , - , 2011 , , "A Good Life" , , Male Artist of the Year , , , - , 2011 , , ''Still Walking'' , , Album of the Year , , , - , 2017 , , himself , , Australian Roll of Renown , , , -

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Graeme Connors won two awards in that time. (wins only) , - , 1994 , Graeme Connors , Male Country Entertainer of the Year , , - , 1996 , Graeme Connors , Male Country Entertainer of the Year , , -

Tamworth Songwriters Awards

The Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA) is an annual songwriting contest for original country songs, awarded in January at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. They commenced in 1986. Graeme Connors won nine awards in that time. (wins only) , - , 1992 , Graeme Connors , Songmaker Award , , - , rowspan="2", 1994 , rowspan="2", "Prodigal Son" , Contemporary Song of the Year , , - , Country Song of the Year , , - , 1995 , "Songs from the Homeland" , Contemporary Song of the Year , , - , 1996 , "The Great Australian Dream" , Contemporary Song of the Year , , - , 1997 , "The Road Less Travelled" , Contemporary Song of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", 1998 , "I Believe in Santa Claus" , Children's Song of the Year , , - , "One Child Born" , Gospel Song of the Year , , - , 2000 , "These Uncertain Times" , Contemporary Song of the Year , , -

Other Awards

*1975 American Song Festival Award *1976 American Song Festival Award *2000 Victorian Country Music Awards - Song of the Year "These Uncertain Times" *2005 Victorian Country Music Awards - Song of the Year "Hard Decisions" *2009 Q150 Queensland Icon Award *2011 WARP Gold Medallion Award (Queensland Male Vocalist of the Year)

References

External links

Graeme Connors Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Connors, Graeme 1956 births Living people APRA Award winners ARIA Award winners Australian country singers Musicians from Queensland