The popularity of mainstream country music acts Kasey Chambers and Keith Urban has gathered momentum, driving the genre to greater heights.
Capitalising on their success, the 2007 Tamworth Country Music Festival has been launched in Sydney, with the Harbour Bridge as a backdrop.

Organisers are keen to promote the message of mixing country with the city.

The festival, beginning on January 19, will host a number of mainstream contemporary artists, including Missy Higgins, in a move at cross-promoting the musical genres.

"I remember starting singing in my mum's band when I was a little girl and I used to get spat on at school for loving country music," said country singer Beccy Cole.

"Kids never liked me because I was a country music fan. People like Kasey Chambers and Keith Urban have helped bring the image of country music to younger people.

"It is being brought to a younger, fresh audience. The new generation that's coming up now will never know that country music once had a bad stigma attached to it."

Cole was joined by fellow country music stars John Williamson, Melinda Schneider, Sara Storer and Troy Cassar-Daley at the Luna Park event, which announced the nominees for the 35th Country Music Awards of Australia.

While Lee Kernaghan scooped the highest number of nominations with six, Cole collected five, including female artist of the year and single of the year for song Poster Girl.

The tune was written after returning from entertaining the troops in the Middle East last Christmas.

"For me it's a big thrill, but I feel kind of selfish taking praise for it when the song is about supporting our troops," she said.

"I would rather deflect the praise back to them (troops). They are over there right now, it's about to be Christmas and they don't get to come home."

Slim Dusty and Joy McKean's daughter, Anne Kirkpatrick, received four nominations for her 13th album Showman's Daughter, as did Adam Brand and Schneider.

The ceremony will be held at Tamworth's Regional Entertainment Centre on January 27.

It is expected more than 50,000 people will visit and some 2,500 live events will be showcased during the festival, injecting $40,000 back into the local economy.