Shane Nicholson's inaugural Americana Music Prize of Australia has been announced

Esteemed Australian roots and country musician Shane Nicholson has announced the launch of a new initiative to support aspiring Americana/alt-country artists in Australia.

Launching today as a joint initiative of Shane Nicholson/The Sound Hole, Forbes Street Studios and Lost Highway Australia, The Americana Music Prize of Australia is an annual grant that will "support, encourage, mentor and resource" unsigned artists within the genre Nicholson has become so recognised for.

A panel of industry professionals will judge entrants who will go in the running to receive a $10,000 prize pack, including the opportunity to work with and receive mentorship from experts. The prize pack will also include the recording and production of an EP at Forbes Street Studios, receiving professional photoshoots, management consultation, artwork design and much more.

Nicholson hand picked the judging panel that includes:

• Rod Yates (Editor, Rolling Stone)
• Brian Taranto (Love Police)
• Bernard Zuel (Journalist)
• Chris Familton (Post To Wire)
• Tim Daley (Country Music Channel)
• Michael Taylor (Lost Highway/Universal)
• Tracey Griffiths (Dashville Skyline)
• Graham Thompson (Artist Manager)
• Matt Fell (Record Producer)
• Alison Avron (The Newsagency)
• Jeremy Dylan (Filmmaker)
• Henry Wagons (Artist)
• Brian Wise (Rhythms magazine founder and music writer)
• Jane Gazzo  (Triple M)
• Denise Hylands (RRR-Twang)

Entries close 5:00pm on Friday 2 March - for more information about the prize and how to enter, go to: theindustryobserver.com.au/americanamusicprize/