Wingham resident Carmel sung her heart out to win first place in open gospel with 'How Great Thou Art', second in the senior female vocal section with the Isla Grant song 'An Accordion Started to Play', second in the over 40s with 'Blue Misty Mountains', and second again in the comedy section with 'Tennessee Wreck'.

And to top off the day she won the Dave and Chrissy Hamilton Perpetual Trophy for the highest club member's point score for the competition.

The day also just happened to be Carmel's 70th birthday. "It was a nice way to spend the day," she said with a chuckle.

Carmel followed that up spending the Easter weekend camping at Poley Everett's property at Barrington, along with other country music aficionados, and was the winner of the Golden Oldies section (for people over 60-years-old) of the talent quest.

Carmel only started singing in 2001, and since then has amassed "26 or 27" trophies along the way.

She is a member of the Taree, Wauchope and Gloucester country music clubs, and once was a guest artist at Singleton.

Husband Dennitt does not sing, however is happy to ferry Carmel around the countryside in pursuit of her hobby.

"He does like country music. It's very lucky, otherwise I wouldn't get anywhere as I don't drive!" she laughed.