Hi Folks
Welcome to 2016. We have had an awesome start to the new year. We kicked it off on the 9th of January with a special birthday celebration for our friend Val Flexman organised by her husband Stuart at their bach at Ohawini Bay at Oakura. We had an awesome evening with their family and friends celebrating with Val and Stuart. Thank you both for your wonderful hospitality. We had a great evening.
On Sunday the 10th we had our first afternoon show with our good friend Alan Webster at the Whangarei RSA. Thank you to everyone that turned out so early in the year to enjoy an afternoon of country music. Thanks also to everyone that helped us out on the day and to the Whangarei RSA for looking after us all with food and refreshments. Alan is a fantastic Australian entertainer that everyone appreciated very much. We had also arranged for Alan to join us at the Kamo Club on the Wednesday evening for a special dance Section show and one of the biggest turn outs for a Wednesday evening they have ever had. I don’t think anyone was disappointed with either show especially with a special performance by Alan and Maureen’s granddaughter Melody, who is an outstanding young performer, at both the RSA and Kamo Club. Well done Melody. We look forward to working with Alan again sometime in the future. It was also nice to catch up with Alan’s wife, Maureen, again and to also meet his son and daughter-in-law. Hope you all had a great time seeing the sights of Whangarei and Northland.
The following Friday we had to head down to Marton for the three day country music festival run by Ann and Len George and their team of helpers. Once again it was one of their most successful festivals to date with over four hundred mobile homes arriving for the weekend. Friday night and Saturday nights shows were a huge success. Performing on Friday night were Lynn Putt, Carylann Martin, Kem Wairau, The Australian country gentleman Alan Webster and NZ country music icons Brendan Dugan and Dennis Marsh ably supported by the band Pheonix. Saturday night saw Annette and I sharing the stage with Reg McTaggart, Roberta Campbell, Keith Herbert, Peter Jackson ( fresh from filming another blockbuster) no not that one, Joy Adams, Craig Adams, Kylie Austin, Mae Valley ( Hannah and Abie ) newly signed with Sony ( congratulations ladies) and the headliner, all the way from Australia, the amazingly talented Justin Standley. Again supported by the fabulous band , Shotgun, lead as always by Derek Evans who sadly has called it a day as part of the backing band for the festival. Thank you Derek and lynn for your support for so many years. No doubt we will catch with you both somewhere in the country music arena.
Wow, what a great weekend had by all the artists and audience. Scorching weather, lots of watermelons and ice cream sold and bottles and bottles of water consumed by at least 3000 people during the 3 days. It was great to catch up with so many familiar faces again and wonderful to see Ken and Elaine Foster travel all the way down from my home town Dargaville. Also a nice touch by Ann to remember all those that could not be with us this year. Thank you Ann and Len (and the Team ) for another amazing weekend. We look forward in anticipation to next year.
By the time you all see this it will be February and we will most likely be in Barham NSW where we are looking forward to a great week of country music and dancing and catching up with all our Aussie friends. Until next time take care and keep it country.
Best wishes
Annette and Kim
