YOU are invited to the inaugural Slim Dusty Community Mateship and Youth Awards Gala Dinner Event.

It is the sixth year the awards have been staged, but the first time they will be announced at a special function.

The gala dinner will be held at the Slim Dusty Centre on Friday, November 28.

Popular Australian Country Music Singer Tania Kernaghan will be the MC for the evening.

“I am thrilled to be the MC for the Slim Dusty Mateship and Youth Awards this year,” Tania said.

“I love that these Awards celebrate life values, like fairness, mateship, family, community and life-long learning.”

Tania has hosted the Tamworth Songwriters Awards numerous times, co-hosted the CMA’s prestigious Golden Guitar Awards and emceed a wide range of gala events for the highly regarded Outback Trailblazers Angel Flight Charity. She has also presented and been an integral part of various Outback Queensland Tourism Awards and Events.

Dress will be semi-formal and entertainment for this special evening will be Anne Kirkpatrick and Slim’s own Travelling Country Band.

A lucky door prize will be available for one lucky guest – a Gold Coast Accommodation Package will be given away courtesy of The Macleay Argus. The package includes four nights accommodation for two people at a resort on the Gold Coast.

Tickets to the prestigious dinner are $85 per person or a table of 10 is only $75 per person.

Members of the Slim Dusty Centre, the ‘Mates of Slim Dusty,” will receive a 10 percent discount off their ticket price.

Amber Lawrence has been nominated in two different categories for the 2015 CMAA Golden Guitar Awards, including Toyota Heritage Song of the Year for “The Lifesaver”, and Female Artist of the Year for her album, ‘Superheroes’, released in September through Social Family Records.

When Amber wrote “The Lifesaver”, she wrote it with the love of her late father, a well known Maroubra Beach surf lifesaver, in her mind and heart. She knew it was a special song from the moment it started to come together, and it’s now apparent that the rest of Australia agrees with her, with her nomination for Toyota Heritage Song of the Year.

“I cried when they read out The Lifesaver. This song means everything to me – I am so happy! And Female Artist of the Year is super cool, too!” said Amber Lawrence, following the exciting news.

Always the hard worker not afraid to get out there and just do it, Amber contributes her love of music and life to her mother and father, and is grateful for every opportunity that comes her way, including previous nominations for what has so far been an elusive Golden Guitar for the popular country singer. With the strength of her new album, ‘Superheroes’, and touching tribute to her father with “The Lifesaver”, 2015 could well be Amber Lawrence’s year to shine and take home her first gong.

The CMAA Golden Guitar Nominations Ceremony, hosted by Catherine Britt and Morgan Evans, also saw Amber perform the first single, “Superhero”, from her new album, ‘Superheroes’.

The Tamworth Country Music Festival takes place from January 16th to 25th, 2015, with Amber performing at Blazes on Friday, January 23rd. The Country Music Awards of Australia (The Golden Guitars) will be held at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre on January 24th.