Andy Golledge was at work on what seemed like another average Wednesday when the phone rang.
On the line was his manager, who had called to inform Golledge of perhaps the most surprising news of his entire career: His debut album, 'Strength Of A Queen', had been nominated for an ARIA Award in the Best Country Album category. "I couldn't quite believe it," the singer-songwriter says from his Sydney home.
"On one side, I'm getting told I've been nominated for an ARIA. On the other, I'm looking at my bank account and I've got about two dollars fifty in there!
"I'm not entirely sure what a nomination means in this day and age, but it's a really great thing. It can only do wonders moving forward.
"I never thought I'd be nominated for anything, let alone an ARIA. I didn't ever see something like that being in my wheelhouse – but here we are. It's kind of cool, right?"
Golledge released 'Strength Of A Queen' back in March after years of building up a reputation as one of Sydney's premier live acts. As such, many of the album's highlight tracks, such as the rollicking 'Rescue Me' or the tender title track, were staples of Golledge's set long before they were committed to record.
Even with such a lifespan running through 'Strength Of A Queen', however, the man behind the album is yet to tire of it.
"I sat with some of those songs in particular for a long time," he says. "They're all very personal, and they carry quite a lot of emotional weight.
"To release them felt like a weight off my shoulders – they're all out there living their own lives now. I feel like I've been given a lot of freedom, in a way, to finally move on and begin to express myself in other new songs."
While said new songs are brewing (including current single 'Light To The Wind' featuring Caitlin Harnett), however, Andy and his band have made the most of open borders and unrestricted shows by touring extensively in support of the album.
A headlining tour followed in April, which also saw Golledge return to his home town of Tamworth to perform at its famed Country Music Festival. "I go every year, regardless of if I'm playing," he says.
"All my family's back there, so it's always a special time. The band and I always get a good reception, and the whole thing is this uniformly positive experience."
When asked about other highlights of his 2022 gig schedule, Golledge points to Dashville Skyline – a remote, in-land festival located in the bushland of Lower Belford.
The family-friendly, three-day camping country festival had the Andy Golledge Band as a headlining act, which felt like a full-circle moment to Golledge in particular. "The first time I played there, I was on at 4 in the afternoon on a Friday," he recalls.
"To be closing it five years later was such a great vibe. It's not a huge festival, so everyone gets to know one-another. It's a really awesome, friendly place to find yourself, so that's been a really big highlight."
Golledge also points to an unlikely appearance amongst the mud of this year's Splendour In The Grass. "I didn't know how that was gonna go," he confesses of the latter.
"As it so happened, we started playing just as King Stingray were finishing on another stage, so a lot of people just walked across to see us. That ended up being really wonderful."
Next up for Golledge and co. is the Groundwater Country Music Festival, taking them to Broadbeach on the Gold Coast. Joined by the likes of Fanny Lumsden, Tami Neilson and even former INXS guitarist Andrew Farriss on the bill, Andy is looking forward to taking 'Strength Of A Queen' to unfamiliar territory.
"We've never actually played the festival – or up that way at all, really," he says.
"It's kind of cool how this record has crossed over into a lot of different genres. It takes us to these more pop-country festivals, it takes us to soul festivals. . . hell, we're even playing a biker festival called Chopped with a bunch of punk bands!
"The most rewarding thing, hands down, is always being welcome to the party."
Groundwater Country Music Festival is free and takes place in Broadbeach (Gold Coast) 28-30 October.
Groundwater Country Music Festival 2022 Line-up
SeaforthAndrew Farriss
Tami Neilson
Andrew Swift
Jayne Denham
The Viper Creek Band
Darlinghurst
Chloe Styler
Montgomery Church
Hayley Marsden
Sweet Talk
Bella MacKenzie
Max Jackson
Bud Rokesky
Michael Carpenter And The Banks Brothers
Rex G Miller
Rae Leigh
Dane Sharp
Who join the already announced:
Fanny Lumsden
Travis Collins
Brooke Mcclymont & Adam Eckersley
Catherine Britt
Gina Jeffreys
Kirsty Lee Akers
Kaylee Bell
Dan Davidson
Hayley Jensen
Kristy Cox
Andy Golledge
Lachlan Bryan & The Wilds
Dozzi
Open Season Band
Southbound XO
Cass Hopetoun
Raechel Whitchurch
Whistle Dixie
Abbie Ferris
Freight Train Foxes
DJ Colonel's Country Music Cottage
Andy Golledge Band also play 80% Cooked (Sydney) 22 October, Euroa Music Festival 5 November and Chopped 2022 (Carisbrook, VIC) 2 December.
