New Zealand music has lost one of its great "wild men" with the death of country and rock legend Ritchie Pickett on Sunday, aged 56.
Morrinsville-born Pickett began his career in the 1970s playing in bands including Graffiti and Think, and eventually became a giant of country rock.
In an interview, Pickett
said he was drawn to the truth of country music.
"You can bare yourself to a certain extent. The essence of a good country song is the honesty of it."
In the 1980s he was Tauranga's best-known performer after featuring frequently on the TV show That's Country and releasing an LP with his band Ritchie Pickett & the Inlaws.
"He was a master songwriter. One of the great songwriters in our land," said friend Tom Sharplin, who used to perform with Pickett and has known him since 1973.
Pickett was a real character who had a wit, "sharp as you could get, cutting to the bone", he said.
"He was a great performer, and he had a wicked sense of humour. His nickname was Wicked Pickett.
"He had an essential energy about him that we all envy."
Another friend, drummer Maurice Greer, said Pickett was a lovely guy who loved a party.
"He wanted to be full on and not miss out on nothing, Ritchie. He was full on, he's a full-on fella.
"Everybody just liked Ritchie.
"He had that thing, where he'd lure you in. And once you liked him, you had a friend for life."
Pickett, who once said the only thing he would do differently in life would be to "take more photos", lost one-third of his liver to cancer in the 1980s.
In 2007 he was rushed to intensive care after collapsing over his piano mid-show.
Friends raised more than $7000 through a benefit concert, and Pickett recovered to produce some of his most acclaimed music as part of the Waikato band The Rattler.
But Sharplin said the ill health eventually claimed his great friend, who had a daughter and was recently remarried.
Pickett's sister Penny said her brother would be buried in a white coffin decorated with black musical notes.
"He'd just love that."
