Divine Pitch Documents feature real folk doing real things. Admiral Gregory (Muriwai) Cook of the Confederation of Native Chiefs' United Tribes invited Divine Pitch Creations to document the Hui in Kororareka, Northland, 25th - 28th October 2022. Music: Purea Nei - composed by Hirini Melbourne E Kore Au E te Ariki

The Divine Pitch Documents series presents real folk doing real things. Andrew Bicknell tells us the story of the Wellington Bluegrass Society and presents guest Derek Kirkland, Petone Community Library and Heritage Centre, Society Night 19-7-2024. For more info on the Wellington Bluegrass Society, check out their website wellingtonbluegrass.net.nz. “Derek was born in 1939. Most of his life he lived on a small farmlet overlooking Plimmerton. Derek never joined the drift to the city, instead the city has drifted towards him, as all the empty farmland surrounding him has filled with suburban sprawl. He never married and has spent his life shearing in the Wellington region, in recent years tending the sheep on Plimmerton and Pauatahanui lifestyle blocks. In the 1960s he joined the Wellington Country and Western Club and began writing songs. He also learnt guitar, fiddle, autoharp, mandolin, mouth harp and double bass. He later joined the Plimmertion Bush Band and the Celtic Cowboys, performing at barn dances and ceilidhs. He has also been in country singing duos for many years. He has written over 100 songs. His songwriting closely observes the daily rural life about him, with clever rhyming and quiet humour. Ragwort and pet lambs, council roadmen, mice in the mash tin, pony clubs and daggy bum ewes are all part of his songscape." – extract from Derek's bio, reprinted with courtesy from the Whitby Newsbrief