Tamworth Country Music Festival 2022: Troy Cassar-Daley rewrites history, breaking record for most Golden Guitars ever won

He says, above anything else, it's the overwhelming feeling of pride he has as a country artist and his passion to see the industry grow that drives him.

But like it or not, the industry icon now holds the record for the most Golden Guitars ever won by an individual artist.

With 40 under his belt, that brings him above the iconic Slim Dusty and legendary Lee Kernaghan who both have 38.

"It means the world to me... I never would have thought that I would get there," he told the Leader.

"It probably just means that I'm becoming an older generation musician in the country music field as well, which I'm totally cool with."

In an historic night, Cassar-Daley was named Male Artist of the Year at the 50^th Golden Guitar Awards.

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His album The World Today claimed gold in the Top Selling Album of the Year category, while his track South with Ian Moss was named Vocal Collaboration of the Year.

Leading up to the night, he said he'd talked the possibility of breaking the record over with Joy McKean, wife of the late Slim Dusty.

"I've already been in touch with Joy about it, and it doesn't sit well with me, breaking records," he said.

"I'm not that sort of person, I don't want to go and break anyone's legacy. But hearing encouraging words from Joy has meant the world to me."

In his discussions with Lee Kernaghan, he said both agreed "they didn't want to be the one".

"I just feel like it's just wrong," he laughed.

"But I have this other side of me that says 'there's this big amount of pride that you carry with you as a country artist to continue on and grow the industry'.

"It's a big deal, it's the biggest deal probably in my whole career, and I have to be prepared for that."

His 13^th studio album The World Today, released in 2021, paints a vivid picture of his world at a time when he was dealing with enormous loss.

"Music became my therapist, and I've never been to a therapist before," he said.

"Losing my dad in 2019 and losing a really good musician friend about three months after - both suicides - it was really harrowing for me and I carried that into COVID.

"It wasn't the happiest place to be and I did a bit of shutting down."

The lead-single on the album, Back on Country, is about acceptance, and it's a song Cassar-Daley said the world needed.

"The sentiment behind it is basically it's a one fire policy and that's what my life's been about since I was a kid," he said.

"Anyone was welcome at my fire - I don't care what politics you've got or what religion or race you are."

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