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Country Music Channel turns 10

TV's only channel with non-stop country music launched in 2002 and is still going strong.

Break out the guitar, the Country Music Channel (CMC) turns 10 years old today.

CMC is the only television station dedicated to country music and it counts amongst its achievements the CMC Rocks festivals and the CMC Music Awards.

No doubt there is a long line of performers also grateful for the exposure of their music to a very devoted audience.

It is currently screening 10 Years of CMC at 8pm.

CMC was launched by Austar on May 1, 2002 to service country music fans in regional Australia and joined the Foxtelservice in 2004.  The very first production for the channel was the Toyota Outback Concert, a show on the back of a truck at the Henty Field Days hosted by Felicity Urquhart and Brendon Walmsley. Since then, the channel has gone from strength to strength to bring viewers the very best in local and international country music.

The annual CMC Rocks roots and country music festival is now the biggest in Australia and boasts a stellar line up of international and local artists.  The festival was established in 2008 at Thredbo with Sugarland and Gary Allan headlining and has featured more than one hundred artists over five years, including Taylor Swift, Alan Jackson, Kasey Chambers, Lee Kernaghan, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Today, CMC Rocks The Hunter is the biggest channel branded event on the platform with over 11,000 people attending the three day event in 2012.

In addition to bringing viewers country stars from around the world, CMC’s primary focus is supporting and celebrating the country music industry in Australia. The CMC Oz Artist Of The Year Award has been running annually since 2007, and in 2011 was expanded into the CMC Music Awards. The Awards allow fans to vote for their favourite Australian country music artists.

Ten years young today and still going strong as Australia’s home of country music. Happy Birthday CMC! Lovin’ This Country.

2 Responses

  1. I am a city girl who loves country music, huge Carrie Underwood,Dixie Chicks,Brad Paisley fan to name a few. Listening to a country music internet channel right now at work.

    Have enjoyed this channel from the start and prior to this when it was branded CMA. Happy Birthday CMT.

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