**Max Jackson wins 42nd Toyota Star Maker at the Toyota Country Music Festival in Tamworth**
**Prize package worth more than $100,000 includes recording of a four-track EP, 12-month use of Toyota vehicle and a trip to Nashville**
**Toyota Star Maker competition gives career boost to talented country music artists**
29-year-old Max Jackson from Carrington NSW has become the 42nd Toyota Star Maker winner after her impressive performance of two original songs, Runnin' written by Max Jackson & Rod Mc Cormack and Life of the Party written by Max Jackson & Jay Knowles in the Grand Final, held at the Toyota Country Music Festival in Tamworth.
Thousands of country music fans packed Toyota Park for the Grand Final, hosted by Ray McCoy, 88.9FM Tamworth, which saw 10 grand finalists perform two songs each, backed by an a-grade band that featured Rod Motbey, Ian Lees, Glenn Wilson, Gary Day and musical director Sam Hawksley.
Each year the Toyota Star Maker competition helps unearth amazing new artists, with Max Jackson joining 2020 winner Sammy White and an array of country music stars that made it big after winning the Toyota Star Maker competition, including Keith Urban, Gina Jeffreys, Sam McClymont, James Blundell and Lee Kernaghan. After taking out the 2019 Star Maker title, Blake O'Connor went on to win 'New Talent of the Year' at the prestigious Golden Guitar awards.
Max Jackson impressed the judges ahead of the nine other finalists: Jake Davey (NSW), Brittany Elise (QLD), Clancy Pye (NSW), Billie-Jo Porter (NSW), Jade Gibson (VIC), Heath Lancaster (NSW), Katie Jayne (NSW), Charlie Fittler (NSW) Loren Ryan (NSW).
By taking home the Toyota Star Maker prize, Max took home a prize package worth more than $100,000 including the use of a Toyota vehicle for a year, recording of a four-track EP and a trip to Nashville in the US to attend the CMA (Country Music Association) Fest.
The Toyota Star Maker is designed to give talented musicians a significant boost in their careers with the prize also including performances at other music festivals and events throughout the year, production of two music videos and a recording session with some of Australia's best musicians and a producer.
Toyota Australia Senior Manager of Marketing Integration, Tim Stuckey, presented the award and said that the performances we saw tonight were a testament to the extraordinary up and coming talent we have here in Australian country music.
"On behalf of Toyota Australia, I would like to congratulate Max Jackson on taking out the 2022 Toyota Star Maker title."
"For more than two decades, Toyota Australia has proudly helped rising country music stars achieve their dreams and Max was truly a deserving winner of the 42nd Star Maker competition.
"We hope the prizes Max takes home will help enhance what is set to be an incredible career in music, and we wish her all the best for her career" Mr Stuckey said.
Star Maker coordinator and judge, Cheryl Brown said; "In all honesty it was a particularly difficult year with all 10 finalists worthy of being here."
Toyota Star Maker producer Barry Harley said: "A very big congratulations to Max Jackson our 2022 Toyota Star Maker winner.
"Toyota Star Maker has been a launch pad for some of Australia's biggest country stars including Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, Beccy Cole, Travis Collins, Sam McClymont, Lyn Bowtell, Kirsty Lee Akers, Blake O'Connor and Brad Cox and I have no doubt this is just the beginning for Max," he said.
An impressive panel of judges chose Max Jackson as the 2022 Star Maker winner at Toyota Park including Special Projects Manager Chugg Music, Dan Biddle, KIX Country Program Director, Justin Thomson, Troy Cassar-Daley's manager, Roxanne Brown, Major Events Gold Coast Director, Mark Duckworth and the Pub Group's Craig Power.
