Adam Brand, Morgan Evans, Amber Lawrence Among CMC Music Awards Finalists

Finalists for this year's Country Music Channel's CMC Music Award have been announced today, with the likes of Adam Brand, Morgan Evans, Lee Kernaghan, Amber Lawrence and Jasmine Rae featuring prominently.

Voted by fans during an eight-week period, CMC have today claimed that over 400,000 votes were tallied this year – the biggest of the awards' history.

Kernaghan will be looking to follow-up his efforts at the Golden Guitars earlier this year, where he won an 'embarrassement' of awards.

The awards will be announced Friday 14 March on the first day of the CMC Rocks The Hunter festival, which takes place at the Hope Estate Winery in Hunter Valley. The festival itself extends to Saturday 15 and Sunday 16, with Toby Keith and Gretchen Wilson among the headliners. Dates and ticket info below.

The finalists are here:

CMC Oz Artist Of The Year

Adam Brand
Amber Lawrence
McAlister Kemp
Morgan Evans
O'Shea

CMC International Artist Of The Year

Carrie Underwood
Chris Young
Keith Urban
Taylor Swift
Toby Keith

CMC Australian Video Of The Year

I Was Here – Adam Brand
If I Want To – Jasmine Rae
Flying With The King – Lee Kernaghan
Carry On – Morgan Evans
Thank You Angels – O'Shea

CMC International Video Of The Year

Boys Round Here – Blake Shelton
Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain) – Gary Allan
Little Bit Of Everything – Keith Urban
Highway Don't Care – Tim McGraw/Taylor Swift/Keith Urban
Hope On The Rocks – Toby Keith

CMC New Oz Artist Of The Year

Adam Eckersley Band
Chelsea Basham
Kaylens Rain
Matt Cornell
The Wolfe Brothers

CMC Female Oz Artist Of The Year

Amber Lawrence
Chelsea Basham
Jasmine Rae
Jayne Denham
Kasey Chambers

CMC Male Oz Artist Of The Year

Adam Brand
Lee Kernaghan
Morgan Evans
Travis Collins
Troy Cassar-Daley