Texan-turned-Heathcote musician Doug Bruce has been nominated for a Golden Guitar Award.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bruce was hauling a truckload of sand up the Tullamarine Freeway with his mobile phone ringing when he gave in to temptation.
A quick call to his wife left him with the news he had been nominated for the Male Artist of the Year award.
“The call came through on the bluetooth and it was basically, ‘hi, just letting you know you got a Golden Guitar nomination’. It was a real quick thing,” Bruce said.
It is Bruce’s second nomination since he became an Australian citizen in 2014 – the award was taken out by Lee Kernaghan.
“I’m really happy about it this time. Last time I didn't feel like I earned it,” Bruce said.
“It felt like a fluke because one of the nominees was disqualified and I was next in line. This time I actually earned it.”
Nominated alongside Bruce is Allan Caswell, Luke O’Shea, Travis Collins and Troy Cassar-Daley.
Bruce’s nomination is the result of his album Unsung – A Tribute To The Songs Of Buddy Bruce.
The album is Bruce’s fifth and was written in memory of his songwriting uncle Buddy.
“That was labour of love. I had those songs for ever and grew up listening to Buddy demo them,” Bruce said.
“I’ve always wanted to do them. They’re very old school 50s or 60s type of songs.
“(Buddy) passed away in the late 90s and I wished he could have been here. The album has done great. It got rave reviews and the first few singles were fantastic.”
Bruce arrived in Australia in 2005 and became a citizen in 2014.
The Golden Guitar Awards will be held in Tamworth on January 28.
But Bruce won’t be holding his breath to be called to the stage.
“When you’re up against people like Troy Cassar-Daley, you hope for the best but in the back of your head you think it won’t happen,” he said.
“But in the past few years a few who were on the outskirts won. Hopefully a few more (underdogs) can as well.”