This year, 2025, we selected three incredible artists to receive our Golden Fiddle Awards. Thank you as always to our award recipients and of course our sponsors Epoch Musical Instruments.
To See images of 2025 awards click here or watch Youtube clips from all years here
YOUTH AWARD
DAN DRIEBERG
This years recipient of the GFA youth award goes to a young man from WA who began his musical journey at the age of 5 going on to study classical music in senior high school and eventually completing a Batchelor of Jazz Performance at the WA Academy of Performing arts in 2022. He maintains a hectic schedule including stints with the Perth Symphony Orchestra.
Freshly back from a 3 month stint in the USA – this years recipient of the GFA Youth Award – Dan Drieberg. Presented by previous winner Gabi Louise.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.drieberg.9/
COMMUNITY AWARD
JON WOLFE
This years recipient has had almost 50 years’ experience in the media world as a writer, co-host and producer of the long-running ABC country music program in Western Australia – Country Calling. At the same time, he began writing on country music matters for The West Australian newspaper and Tamworth’s Capital News.
After moving to Tamworth in the early 1990s to join the famous Hoedown radio team at 2tm. He was next appointed as the editor of Capital News and has been closely connected to the country music scene as a songwriter, radio, print and social media journalist, member of the CMAA board, and artist manager, concert producer and mentor – all roles that have allowed him to support and nurture the artists and the industry.
Over many decades this man has supported Australian country music singers, songwriters, musicians and the industry with passion and integrity.
He is currently the News Journalist for Super Radio Networks 2tm and 92.9fm radio stations and presents a weekly country music segment on 2tm on Saturdays.
He is the Vice Chairman of the Country Music Association of Australia and in that role continues to have a close contact with the industry and is on the advisory committee for the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
I am proud to present this years recipient of the Golden Fiddle Community Award to Jon Wolfe.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/jon.wolfe.313/
BEST BAND WITH A FIDDLER AWARD|
KELLY’S WAYKE
Violinist – Mae Napier-Traeger
Kelly’s Wayke was actually born at an Irish wake for Mick Murphy,
brother of band member Brian Murphy and family friend of the Kelly’s. So when the Kellys‘ and the Murphys got together for Micks wake all the old irish songs their da’s and ma’s had taught them when they were nippers were played to celebrate Mick’s life
They were playing for 6 to 7 hours at the back room of the pub, when the publican came in they thought he was going to kick them out for making too much noise, but he said “no, we turned off the jukeboxes hours ago, we’ve been listening to you guys all night”
A quick phone call from Damien to Brian and Paddy the next day and Kelly’s Wayke was born and they’ve celebrated love, life and all in between ever since.
This years recipient of the GFA Best Band with a fiddler Award – KELLY’S WAYKE
https://www.kellyswayke.com.au
