Songwriters were front and centre at the 2026 Tamworth Songwriters Association Awards because, in country music, it all begins with the song.
The annual Songwriter Salute Awards, presented by the Tamworth Songwriters Association, are open to country songwriters across bush ballad, traditional, gospel, country blues, alternative country, country rock, as well as youth and novice categories.
The TSA Songwriter Award is presented to songwriters who have made a significant contribution to Australian country music
First-time winners included Savannah Sharpe, who claimed the Traditional category for ‘The Window Seat’, co-written with Singer/Songwriter Lyn Bowtell.
“Thank you so much to the sublime Lyn Bowtell. This was a co-writer’s dream, a bucket list dream. It’s the second time I’ve been privileged to write with this amazing woman who gives so much of herself, her love, her experience, her talent, to not just the kids at the CMAA Academy, but to people like me who are not 17 anymore, and does it equally and with equal dedication, this is a special song to me because it’s a story song, based on the germ of a true story.”
Lyn Bowtell previously won the New Songwriter section at the Tamworth Songwriters Awards during the 1998 Tamworth Festival.
Says Lyn, “I’m honoured to have won the Tamworth Songwriters Association Award this year for Traditional Country Song of the Year for ‘The Window Seat’, co-written with the wonderful Savannah Sharpe.
This song is one of my favourites from my Album ‘Paper Cuts’, and it just happens to be my Mum’s favourite too, which makes it extra special. ‘The Window Seat’ was written with Savannah in the Blue Mountains, NSW in 2024 at one of my ‘SHE’ Songwriters Retreats and I was thrilled to be able to include it on my latest Album’.
Lyn Bowtell’s latest Album ‘Paper Cuts’ was released in September 2025 and debuted at #1 on the ARIA Country charts