It’s been a nice start to the year:

January: I took to the streets of Te Anau to do some serious busking.  This landed a gig at The Redcliff Café, Te Anau, and some jamming with a Czech violinist named Jan.

February: I featured in the Acoustic Show Case at one of Wellington’s main music venues, San Fran.

March: Roy McGuinness and I were the guests at iconic Studio 64, in Taranaki.

April: The pleasure of being the guest at an “Up Close and Personal” gig in my own beach side suburb of Plimmerton.

It’s Easter this weekend, and on the following weekend, our activity centres on ANZAC Day, when New Zealanders and Australians honour those who have served in wars.  That weekend is also when New Zealand’s newest folk festival – Tutira Tradfest – is held. Tradfest is our only festival focussed on traditional folk, and I will be leading the session that features Traditional New Zealand folk music.

My father’s people

My cousin, Christina Baldwin, has done extensive research on the family history and provided many of the photos used in this video.  I’d really like to thank her on behalf of the whole family for being the keeper of our history.

My brother Chris also found some old family photos to put together with the words I had written.

My wife, Janette, spent endless hours editing the video to get it just right.

Each of them helped in putting the pictures to the song I wrote.

I’m sure this will strike cords with many of my generation who “moved to the city” from the farm.

My North Island Tour started at Mainly Acoustic last night 8 November.  What a great way to start with a warm and receptive audience.  I’m also putting the finishing details to my EP: Southern Land.

Southern Land video

Here’s a video of my song, Southern Land, inspired by the landscapes of the South Island of New Zealand.   My wife, Janette, took many photos when we were travelling throughout the south of the South Island – Catlins, Fiordland, Central Otago, and the Canterbury hinterland. We’ve used some of them here. Wild and untamed for much of it, the hand of man appears in the vineyards,the farms, and the hydro dams. I hope you enjoy this as much as we enjoy our times in this wonderful area.

At The Mussel Inn April 2013 on the Autumn Tour