Cairns-based Leanne Tennant wins second Carol Lloyd award

Cairns based salt-blues and roots singer songwriter Leanne Tennant has won the second Carol Lloyd Award.

It was set up to encourage female musicians in Queensland.

The announcement by the Queensland Music Festival was made at the Songs That Made Me! concert in Brisbane at the QPAC Concert Hall, and Tennant was presented the award by Deborah Conway.

Also attending were runners-up Bec Laughton (RIVAH), Harriette Pilbeam (Hatchie), and Sue Ray while Sahara Beck could not make the presentation.

Tennant was awarded $15,000. She has the option of recording an album, or making an EP and touring behind it.

Tennant, who admits that the win comes just as she was wondering if she should continue with her music career, said, “I'm so honoured to have been chosen and would like to thank the judges for their belief in me and giving me this chance.

“It would have been a tough job as the other finalists are outstanding musicians and writers, all of whom i admire immensely.”

Tennant has released an album Red Wine, Late Nights which she followed up with a national tour, has played festivals along the East Coast, was nominated for the Grant McLennan Fellowship and won a Queensland Music Award for her track ‘Gentle Annie’.

The 2018 judging panel consisted of Katie Noonan, former Zoo owner Joc Curran, arts lecturer and one time BIGSOUND executive programmer Leanne de Souza, journalist and songwriter Sean Sennett, Halfway guitarist John Willsteed and musician and arts entrepreneur Annie Peterson.

The award is in honour of fiery Queensland singer Carol Lloyd who died two years ago and is supported by Queensland Government, Hutchinson Builders and APRA AMCOS. Visit the QMF website for more details.