Hot Country TV Awards 2018

Tuesday 1st May saw the annual Hot Country TV Awards take place in the lovely Slieve Russell Hotel, Ballyconnell in Co Cavan. It was hosted by Hugh O’Brien and the event was filled to capacity.

The night featured many top artists including Nathan Carter, Jimmy Buckley, Dominic Kirwan, Derek Ryan, Mike Denver, Declan Nerney, Louise Morrisey and many more of Irelands Top Country Stars.

It was a fantastic star-studded night with the cream of Irish Country Music entertaining the massive audience.

(L-R) TR Dallas, Cliona Hagan, Derek Ryan, Louise Morrissey & Marty Morrissey
Hot Country TV Awards - 1st May 2018

Hot Country TV award winners 2018

Male Entertainer of the Year: Mike Denver

Female Entertainer of the Year: Cliona Hagan

Best Country Music TV Series - Nathan Carter Show RTE TV' - Nathan Carter

Female Vocalist of the Year - Sandy Kelly

The Authentic Voice of Country Music - Jimmy Buckley

Country Music Icon Female - Margo

Irish Country Music of the Year - Dominic Kirwan

Country Roots Award - Ray Lynam

The Authentic Tribute Music Award - 'The Jimmy Shand' Story Brandon McPhee

Hottest Act in Irish Country Music Male - Barry Kirwan

Hottest Act in Irish Country Music Female - Olivia Douglas

Irish Country Music's Personality of the Year - Declan Nerney

International Country Music Artist of the Year - Max T Barnes

Male Vocalist of the Year - Derek Ryan

Lifetime Achievement Award in 'Irish Country Music' - Philomena Begley

International Songwriter of the Year - Don Mescall

Personality of the Year - Marty Morrisey RTE

International Country Music Artist Recording of Irish Album - 'The Irish Collection' Marisa D'Amato

Celebration 30 Years In Irish Country Music - Louise Morrissey

The Country Music Icon Award - TR Dallas

Gene Stuart Music Inspiration Award: Paul Kelly

Johhny Loughrey Music Award - Kerry Fearon

Horizon Irish Country Music Award - Liam Kelly

Best Social Dancing Artist - Stuart Moyles

Video of the Year Award - 'I'm Gonna Love You Through It' by Allan Clarke & performed by Robert Mizzell

Exciting New Country Band - Ciaran Rosney & Band

Album of the Year Award - LIVING THE DREAM - Nathan Carter

Irish Songwriter of The Year Award - Derek Ryan

DVD of the Year Award - Mike Denver 'Entertainer Of The Year'

Original Single of the Year - 'Old Friends Are Best' Written by Billy Morrissey & performed by Trudi Lalor

The Larry Cunningham Music Award - Annette Griffin & John Stauton

For Services to Irish Country Music - Hugo Duncan, Big T, Tommy Rosney, Promotion FX, Glenn Rogers, Eddie Caffrey, Pio McCann, Brendan Farrell, David James, Bob Brolly

'Young' Video Producer Of The Year: Daniel Bloor

Pre Show Artists: Larrisa Tormey, Simon Donegan, Colin Kenny, Alex Roe

Mike Denver Male Entertainer of The Year & DVD of The Year Awards
Hot Country TV Awards - 1 May 2018

Nathan Carter had the crowd eating out of his hand with his 3 songs Good Time Girls and then his brand new single Give It To Me which he sang live for the first time. He finished off with what has become his signature tune he had the crowd on their feet rocking to Wagon Wheel.

Nathan was then presented with 2 very well deserved awards: Album of the Year & TV Series of the Year.

Nathan Carter wins Album of the Year & TV Series of the Year.at Hot Country TV Awards - 1 May 2018

Cliona Hagan shared: Delighted to have won “Female Entertainer of the Year” at the Hot Country Awards last night! Special thanks to Hugh O’Brien for having me! Such a great night! #happygirl #hardworkpaysoffs Hot Country TV. 

Her dress has sourced  by one of her favourites Crystal Boutique Armagh

Cliona Hagan (L) & Gemma McKeigue (R) Galway Irish Crystal Award sponsors
Hot Country TV Awards - 1 May 2018

The flower of Ferbane Olivia Douglas (Facebook) took home Hottest Act in Irish Country Music Female award. Last year Olivia had the honour of receiving the Gene Stuart Musical Inspiration Award (presented by Billy Morrissey and was delighted to be part of this year's show again.

Kerry Fearon was awarded the prestigious Johnny Loughrey Music Award at the Irish Hot Press TV Awards for her dedication and services to country music as a country artist, radio presenter and TV host.

Former editor of Maverick Magazine and 2008 Wesley Rose recipient Alan Cackett wrote: Every once in a while, seemingly out of nowhere, a singer crosses my radar and just about knocks me sideways. One such singer is petite Kerry Fearon, a genuine down-home Irish country girl raised in a loving family on a diet of music, fun and hard work. Her great passion is country music, mainly the more traditional sounds with pedal steel guitar and fiddles and lyrics that pack an emotional punch as they explore the kind of relationship issues we all face in our lives.

Though Kerry is a relative newcomer to the music scene, she’s experienced a lifetime of ups-and-downs. This energetic bundle of talent seemingly never stands still.

A qualified Business Studies Teacher, Kerry holds down a full-time vocation as a Special Needs Teacher. In addition to this, she presents the Homegrown Hour on Downtown Country Radio every night at 10pm and Ireland’s Hot 7 chart which goes out on both Downtown Country and Downtown Radio on a Sunday night. 

She also hosts her TV show Kerry’s Gold Country on the Keep It Country TV channel every Friday evening.

In a few weeks time Kerry will be releasing her long-awaited debut album, HONKYTONK GIRL, a superb collection of traditional-slanted country with a modern sheen. Keep a watch on Kerry Fearon, she’s the real deal in the age of imitation pretenders!

Country Music Singer-Songwriter Max T. Barnes Wins “International Artist Of The Year” Award At Hot Country Tv Awards In Ireland

Country hitmaker Max T. Barnes was honoured as the “International Artist of the Year” at the Hot Country TV Awards in Ireland on May 1.

The award is based on the artist’s popularity and the number of requests per week for the artist’s music. The Hot Country TV Awards is the largest annual country music event in Ireland. Max performed at the awards alongside Irish country artists Nathan Carter, Trudi Lalor and Margo O’Donnell.

“I am honored! I spent my whole life on music row writing songs and now I am having a blast singing them all around the world! What a crazy life. I am blessed,” said Barnes.

Max just finished his Spring tour of the UK and Ireland. In May and June, he will be performing in Branson, Mo., and Nashville, Tenn., before heading back to Ireland in July.

Max T Barnes (R) with Irish country star Trudi lalor (L)
Hot Country TV Awards - 1 May 2018

About Max T. Barnes

Max T. Barnes is a second generation hitmaker and the son of Max D. Barnes, who wrote some of country music’s most iconic tunes such as “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” by George Jones, CMA Song Of The Year “Look At Us” by Vince Gill, and of course, CMA song Of The Year “Chiseled In Stone” by Vern Gosdin. Between father and son they have had 33 #1 hits and have sold over 70 million records. Barnes wrote his first major song at the age of 19, Vern Gosdin’s “Way Down Deep," and has been topping the charts ever since, writing “Let Go of the Stone” (John Anderson), “At the Sound of the Tone” (John Schneider), “Before You Kill Us All” (Randy Travis) and “That’s How Your Love Makes Me Feel” (Diamond Rio), to name a few. “Love, Me,” the career-launching hit for Collin Raye, scored Max T. a CMA Song of the Year nomination. He most recently scored a cut on Trace Adkins new album titled “I’m Gone.” Max frequently tours in Australia, Ireland, Belgium, Scotland, England, Sweden, Norway, Canada and the U.S. He recently released his newest album, “Steamboat,” and is currently playing shows across the UK and Ireland on his international “Steamboat” Tour. For more information visit maxtbarnes.com.

Pictured Left

Olivia Douglas with her award for 

Hottest Act Female

at the Hot Country TV Awards

1 May 2018