Songwriters Shine At TSA Salute Awards

Songwriters were front and centre at the 2026 Tamworth Songwriters Association Songwriter Salute Awards because, in country music, it all starts with the song.

The annual Songwriter Salute Awards, presented by the Tamworth Songwriters Association, are open to country songwriters across bush ballads, traditional, gospel, country blues, alternative country, country rock, as well as youth and novice categories.

The TSA Songmaker Award is presented to songwriters who have made a significant contribution to Australian country music, and this year there were two recipients. Kasey Chambers and Drew McAlister were honoured, with their names added to plaques near the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame.

Neither were present to accept their awards, but Kasey’s father, Bill Chambers, spoke about how she took to songwriting as a young teenager and showed talent from an early age.

First-time winners included Savannah Sharpe, who claimed the Traditional category for The Window Seat, co-written with Lyn Bowtell.

“Thank you so much to the sublime Lyn Bowtell. This was a co-writer’s dream, a bucket list dream. It’s the second time I’ve been privileged to write with this amazing woman who gives so much of herself, her love, her experience, her talent, to not just the kids at the academy, but to people like me who are not 17 anymore, and does it equally and with equal dedication,” she said.

“This is a special song to me because it’s a story song, based on the germ of a true story.”

Britton Morrison Commemorative Award for Gospel/Spiritual Song winner Brendon Walmsley.

In the Gospel / Spiritual category, Brendon Walmsley was recognised for Below An Open Sky, a song he also performed on the night. Speaking about the meaning behind the win, Walmsley said the song was inspired by both faith and experience.

“It’s about a drought, but we all kind of go through droughts in life, in different sorts of ways,” he said.

“But this song is a reminder to me, that through whatever drought we’re going through, God remains faithful. This song is based on Psalm 23, one of the most popular passages in the Bible.”

Performances throughout the night demonstrated the depth of talent across the Australian country scene and reinforced the long-standing motto of the TSA – first the song.