What's next for Winton's superstar musician

The 25-year-old cowboy singer was named the 2024 Toyota Star Maker at the Tamworth Country Music Festival on Sunday night to huge applause.

One of his biggest fans is his mum, Winton grazier Emma Forster, who'd flown down on Sunday for the final, and she explained how he'd bought himself a guitar for something to do on some down time in Mount Isa, where he'd gone to undertake an apprenticeship.

"He Youtubed how to play it and taught himself, and how to perform on a stage," she said. "I'm not surprised by the performing side of him - he's always competing at rodeos - but his talent on the guitar and his singing, that amazes me."

Emma said music, alongside rodeoing, had been his full-time profession for probably the last 18 months and how he was earning the majority of his income, doing pub gigs, race meetings, rodeo shows and music festivals.

The biggest so far has been singing alongside Cody Johnson on Luke Combs' Australian tour last year, and it's because of that, that Wade was planning to go to the US with his music this year anyway, having been invited by Cody to come over and check out the country scene in Texas.

His prize package, worth more than $100,000, includes return air flights including accommodation to Nashville in the US to attend the CMA Fest and recording and promotion, which means he will probably have a few trips across the Pacific and back.

"He's going to try to rodeo while he's over there - that's his other passion," Emma said. "I think we'll only get glimpses of him as he gets his washing done on his way through home."

Part of his prize is the use of a fully serviced Toyota RAV for a year, including fuel, which Emma said might need a bullbar and spotlights added for country Queensland travel.

Team roping and steer wrestling are his rodeo sports, which is what all his family does for weekends.

His sister Holly Forster was named the all-round Cowgirl at the Australian Professional Rodeo Association national finals at Gracemere last November.

Emma said it was experiences like this that he brought to his songs, which are in the traditional country genre.

"He's very much a storyteller, his songs are usually something he's lived through," she said. "I think they're very authentic because he lives the life he sings about, being a kid from a cattle station."