"I'm the only New Zealander to have been invited, and there were musicians from 15 different countries taking part."
Mr Adams played a 45-minute set, which was half covers and half his own compositions. He said he was thrilled by his win.
"It's really the icing on the cake; it really made me feel good about what I'm doing."
Mr Adams credits a career in the wool industry for his interest in country music.
"I've always loved music. I worked in a woolstore straight from school and there were a lot of Maori guys there, and they would often get out their guitars. So I learned a few chords, and it went from there."
In his early 20s Mr Adams moved from Wanganui to the South Island and that is where his love of country music blossomed.
"The high country of the South Island has been a big inspiration for me in my songwriting - the mountains, the rivers, the history, who we are as a people.
"Lyrics are really meaningful in country music, and people in Texas seemed to really like what I was writing about."
Mr Adams' life is extremely busy right now - as well as his music, he and his wife have four children, and Mr Adams is business development manager for the New Zealand Merino Company.
"It's really a balancing act, and at the end of the day we have to do what's right for the family."
Canterbury-based Mr Adams said country music is a fringe genre in New Zealand, compared to its mainstream popularity in the United States. But he believes there is a specific New Zealand country music style.
"New Zealand is unique, and our music and the way we present our stories is unique," he said.
-For more information about Mr Adams, his upcoming tour and links to his music, visit www.craigadams.co.nz.
