Midway between Brisbane and Sydney in Australia lies the city of Tamworth. On both sides of the Peel River in the New England region of New South Wales, it is home to more than 42,500 people and is the major regional center for the southern New England area. Tamworth has many nicknames. It is known as “First City of Lights” because it was the first city in the southern hemisphere to install electric street lights. It is also referred to as the “National Equine Capital of Australia” in recognition of the large number of equine events staged there in the world class National Equine and Livestock Events Centre, the largest in the southern hemisphere. Tamworth is also called the “Country Music Capital of Australia”.

It is for this latter activity that Tamworth is best known. The Tamworth Country Music Festival, held over ten days in January, is the second largest country music festival in the world. Exactly when this event started is subject to debate. The Tamworth branch of what was once the Modern Country Music Association launched a talent search on the Australia Day January Long Weekend. This event now known as the Capital Country Music Association Talent Quest is credited by some as the real beginning of the Festival. However, in 1973, 2TM Radio hosted the first Country Music Awards Golden Guitars to promote country music, and the Country Music Association of Australia designates this as the official birthday of the Festival.

Ranked one of the world's Top 10 music festivals, the Tamworth Country Music Festival was rated by Forbes magazine in 2007 as No. 8 among the “World's Coolest Music Festivals”. At the event, not only Australia's but also the world's most famous country music artists perform live shows twenty four hours a day for the 100,000 or so people who troop to Tamworth for the event. About two-thirds of these stay for a good part of the festival, many camping on the banks of the Peel River.

Events such as the Blue Grass Championships, The Buttercup Open House Concert, The Rodeo, mixed with industry seminars fill the schedule and start as early as a week before the highlight of the festival.The audience at the Festival is feted to a variety of music genres including classic country, country rock, cowpunk, rockabilly, western swing, yodeling, rock and blues.

The highlight of the Festival is the awards night ceremony called the Country Music Awards of Australia, where the highest award that a country music artist can win – the Golden Guitar Award – is handed out. Since the Festival started, over 350 Golden Guitars have been awarded. Emphasizing its role in the country music world, Tamworth has erected the Big Golden Guitar monument, a wax museum and a Hands of Fame park to honor famous country music artists. Among several other awards given out at the Festival, the growing favorite is the People's Choice Awards which allows fans to cast their votes for the artists of their choice, including the Best DJ and the Best Radio Station.