The Toner Sisters, from left, Celine, Adrienne and Lynne, were raised on country music. Photo / supplied
The Toner Sisters, from left, Celine, Adrienne and Lynne, were raised on country music. Photo / supplied
The Bay of Islands Country Rock Festival is marking its 30th anniversary this weekend with a line-up of 43 acts from the US, Australia and New Zealand performing at seven venues over three days.
Remarkably, all 30 festivals to date have been organised by Pakaraka farmer Shirley May, who wasrecognised in 2017 with a Queen's Service Medal for services to music.
The top-billed overseas act at the anniversary festival will be mother-daughter duo Joni and Olivia Harms. When they're not touring the world they live on a ranch in Oregon, USA, raising quarter horses and Christmas trees.
They will be joined by Kel-Anne Brandt from Australia, dubbed the Pocket Rocket for her energy and small stature, and four of the legends of New Zealand country music — Brendan Dugan, Gray Bartlett, Eddie Low and ''Māori cowboy'' Dennis Marsh.
Country Rock Festival organiser Shirley May, who is about to clock up her 30th festival, with event patron and "Māori cowboy" Dennis Marsh. Photo / file
May said she found it hard to believe she had clocked up three decades at the helm, and described festival regulars as a big family which got together year after year.
''I shake my head thinking, has it really been 30 years? It has to be one of the longest-running festivals around.''
She had no plans to stop — ''I'll keep going til I drop, I guess'' — and said the festival would probably have to take a different format if it continued without her.
Three musicians who performed at the first festival will also be at the 30th. They are Kim Copedo, Dallas Grant and Tony Harrison, who is now a sound technician.
Joni Harms and her daughter Olivia from Oregon are this year's US act. Photo / supplied
Other Kiwi drawcards include the Toner Sisters, who have opened for the likes of Rod Stewart and Kenny Rogers, and new acts Wilde Taylor and YY and the Definitive Showband. YY is a young Chinese New Zealander making a mark in country music alongside a career as a fashion model in China.
The festival will start on Friday afternoon and run until Sunday night. Rising costs have forced an increase in the price of a three-day pass, available from any of the venues or Wards Music in Whangārei, to $80.
The venues are in Paihia, Waitangi and Russell. The Russell RSA has replaced the Duke of Marlborough Tavern which closed down suddenly at the end of March.
