Country music awards hit high note with renowned guest artists

The French Family Band: Sonny (left), Camille and Stuie French. Photo / Supplied
A hit country music family band made up of a Kiwi mum, an Australian dad and their teenage son will show rising stars in Rotorua next month just what can be achieved if you want to make it in Nashville.
The French Family Band will perform in New Zealand for the first time as guest artists when Rotorua hosts the coveted New Zealand Entertainer of the Year awards on October 12.
Winning the awards is a sought-after title among country music performers, who get the opportunity to compete after winning a “ticket” to perform from coming first overall at one of six New Zealand Country Music Association-affiliated awards throughout the North Island during the year.
This year there will be 26 finalists competing in the New Zealand Entertainer of the Year in five categories – junior, intermediate, senior, veteran and songwriting.
There is one Bay of Plenty contestant, Bill Basset from Pāpāmoa, who is competing in the songwriting section.
The other artists include Amarah Cameron, Harvey Connor, Briar Sharp, Summer McKenzie and Karly Jewell Gordon in the junior section; Molly Harrison, Elizabeth Maynard-Hassett, Maia Fletcher, The Dollys and Cailin Henderson in the intermediate section; Amy Maynard, The Robsons, Destiny Pahuru-Kara, Alley and Robert Matete, Whitney and Amy, and Rawinia Gordon in the senior section; Aileen Silver, Whata Brown, Charmaine Puriri, Teresa Herewini, Shaun Ryland and Pam Findlay in the veteran section; and Bernadette Sharp, Christine Drake, Carly Drysdale, Amy Maynard, Charmaine Puriri and Bill Bassett in the songwriting section.
Those qualifying are from Pāpāmoa, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Ashburton, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Hamilton, Auckland, Nelson, Dunedin, Hastings, Balfour, Gore and Levin.
New Zealand Country Music Association secretary and organising committee member Alan Hulton from Pāpāmoa said the awards had been held at the Convention Centre from 2009 to 2017 but had to move in previous years after the venue closed for earthquake strengthening.
He said in recent years the awards had been held in Taupō, Tauranga and Auckland but organisers were excited to be returning to Rotorua this year at the newly refurbished Sir Howard Morrison Centre.
“We tried to rebook for next year as well but it’s already booked out for October 2025.”
He said the awards had been a staple in the country music calendar for a long time but were still growing, with two more qualifying awards being added to the mix next year from the South Island – the Nelson Sun City Awards and the Southern Awards in Dunedin.
Three of the section winners from last year’s New Zealand Entertainer of the Year will be guest artists at next month’s matinee show – Ngarangi Sadlier, Sophie Toyne and Richard Cook.
Among the judging panel is former Rotorua man Dennis August, a former Gore Gold Guitar winner who had been a patron of the New Zealand Country Music Association for the past 20 years.
Hulton said it was a coup to secure the French Family Band as guest artists for this year’s awards and their presence alone saw many ticket sales for the evening show.
Based in the heart of country music, Nashville, Tennessee, the band consists of dad Stuie French, mum Camille French (nee Te Nahu) and son Sonny French.
Stuie French was originally from Australia, where he met his Kiwi-born future wife, then Camille Te Nahu – a five-time Entertainer of the Year winner as a junior and intermediate contestant during the 1980s and 1990s.
Taking inspiration from country and western swing icons of decades past, the French Family Band have modernised the old-time sound.
They appeared on the legendary Grand Ol’ Opry four times in 2023, which is the ultimate stage for any country music performer.
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, it threatened to cripple the family’s dreams of making it in Nashville. Instead, they switched from playing traditional gigs to doing Facebook Live concerts from home.
It turned out to be a winning strategy that exposed their music to the world and they soon built up a Facebook following of nearly 180,000 people and created a new, global fan base that loved their music.
Tickets are from Ticketmaster. The matinee show at 1pm is $40 and the evening show at 6.30pm is $60. For tickets to both shows it is $80. Entry for children under 15 is $20 for both shows. Booking fees apply.