Happy New Year to you all,
and a big Hi! from Taranaki, with our latest news bulletin.
Early December, we returned
to Nelson, where we were guests at The Stoke Old-Time Country Music Club's
25th Anniversary Celebrations, and a most enjoyable time we had. We also
attended the Waimea Club's Christmas Barbeque, and caught-up with
family. The folk down there really enjoy their Country Music, I mean the
REAL COUNTRY, and it was really good to re-aquaint ourselves with old
friends, old work-mates, and some special admirers of our music,
like Kay Primmer, Wendy Schultz, Alan and Margaret Higgs, Alan Parsons, to
name a few.
I bought myself a new digital
camera, (my first foray into digital photography) and it has become an
invaluable asset on our many travels.
The New Year began with a
long drive to Masterton, to welcome our most recent Great Grandson Leighton,
and that was a good family reunion.
We returned home, and within
a couple of days, we drove to Otorohanga, to support PETER POSA and BOB AND
SHEILA EVERHART, and that was a special concert.
Peter was astounded with the
support, and many of us were relieved that he was able to make it for the
show. He had GERRY MERITO lending some assistance on guitar, GINNY PETERS,
one of the organisers, sang some of her own songs, and you'll be aware
that Ginny is right up there with the top songwriters, no matter where they
come from. THE WEST FAMILY, a local group comprising Mum, an 8year old son,
and two daughters, gave a fine showing of close harmonies, and I enjoyed
their act. Gerry sang some of the older favourites, and they went down very
well with the audience, but of course they came to hear Peter Posa, and he
did not let them down.
One of the highlights of the
day for me, was The Everharts on stage, being backed by Peter Posa on his acoustic
guitar. That was awesome.
Bob Everhart was a very
able compere for the day, and he presented Peter with a special plaque from
The American Old-time Country Music Hall of Fame, and another one,
celebrating the high volume of sales for his latest double CD, "My
Pick".
A memorable day for Country
Music.
We returned home from there,
and the very next day, we wre "on the road again", this time, to
the funeral of a dear friend of ours, Nancy Jeffery, she and her husband
were my "2nd parents" when I was starting out in the workforce as
a very young 15 year-old, back in 1950, in the coastal town of Porangahau,
in Hawkes Bay, and It was while I was there, that I bought
my first guitar, one of those famous Tex Morton models, but I had no idea of
how to play it, but I still got up on the hills of the farm, and
yodelled my head off, I had my own pony, and used to ride into town to a
movie, or a dance, and leave my pony and saddle in a paddock opposite the
hall, and there were no problems about them going missing!
Noelene and I later returned
to the town with one of our Western Variety Shows, and locals manned the
door, and sold tickets for us, and that was 1958.
Anyway, for the funeral, the
family played several tracks of our music, and I did a guitar instrumental,
on stage, and this was a special request from Nancy, who was one of our
biggest supporters. Again, this was an opportunity to catch-up with old
workmates, schoolmates, etc., and even a man who lived just down the road
from where I worked, in Porangahau. So that was another special day.
We received quite a scare,
when we learnt that our son-in-law Colin had had a heart attack, in his home
in Masterton, and had to be rushed to the Wellington Hospital for urgent
surgery. That surgery took place today, as I write this, and he is
expected to return home in a day or two, which is a big relief.
We are booked to appear at
The Otorohanga County Fair on the 9th of February, and we will be re-joining
the Americans Bob and Sheila Everhart at that venue, so we are looking
forward to that.
Country Music can now be
heard on RADIO LIVE, on Sunday afternoons, 4-6pm, a show of American Country
Music, called Alabama, presented by Brian Staff. Listen in.
Also, we are now able to
listen to Wellington's Access Radio on Monday nights, which is being
streamed on the internet.
That's it for now, keep
smiling, and keep singing and playing that good old Country Music!
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