Sisters fine-tune hosting duties

McClymonts say CMC Music Awards role will replace usual feelings of nervousness, writes

HOSTING the CMC Music Awards is a welcome distraction for Sam McClymont.

One third of The McClymonts, Sam would much rather be presenting than nervously waiting in the audience for the three categories the all-sister trio is nominated for this year.

“When you go to an awards show (as a nominee) you’re really nervous sitting there just waiting for your category,” she tells The Guide. “This way we’ll be preoccupied. We’ll be too nervous hosting to think about it.”

Sam and her sisters Brooke and Mollie take over hosting duties from rising country music star Morgan Evans, who is focusing on furthering his career overseas.

“He is way too busy taking over America, so he’s handed over the baton to the three of us,” Sam says.

“He does such an amazing job every year. We’re so lucky we’re in a group and the pressure’s not down to one of us.”

This will be the first time country music fans have seen the sisters together since January’s Golden Guitar awards in Tamworth.

While Sam continues to settle in with her seven-month-old son Wilder and Mollie prepares for the arrival of her second child, Brooke is on the road touring with husband Adam Eckersley.

“Mollie’s very pregnant. She’s going to be such a trooper. I’m pretty sure her doctor just thinks she’s mad,” Sam says. “It’s just been all these babies lately in our family. If we said no to things then we’d never be doing anything, so we just say yes and carry on.”

The eighth annual CMC Music Awards return to The Star Gold Coast for the second year in a row.

The awards show will feature a stellar line-up of performers including Grammy-winner Darius Rucker, Kelsea Ballerini and The Wolfe Brothers.

With a record-breaking 521,296 votes cast, Travis Collins, The McClymonts and Adam Brand lead this year’s nominations.

There will also be a special tribute to Rob Potts, who passed away late last year in a tragic motorcycle accident. Alongside CMC and Chugg Entertainment, Potts co-founded

CMC Rocks Festival and ran Rob

Potts Entertainment Edge.

Lee Kernaghan will present the CMC New Artist of the Year category, which has been renamed the The Rob Potts Tribute/CMC New Artist of Year.

“There won’t be a dry eye in the house,” Sam says. “Rob was such a powerhouse in our industry. There was no one like him in terms of supporting new artists and connecting them to fans. He is someone very, very well loved in our industry and someone we’re going to miss dearly. It’s going to be a very special moment in the show.”

Thankfully, the CMC Awards won’t be the last fans see of The McClymonts this year.

“We’ve started to put a tour together for the back end of the year,” Sam says.

THE 8TH ANNUAL CMC MUSIC AWARDS – CMC – THURSDAY AT 7.30PM QLD, 8.30PM NSW