singer/songwriter
( Kiwi Kate .... Radio DJ )
Radio Woodville 97 & 88.3 FM
Voice of the Tararua
New Zealand
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A bit About Myself
Welcome to my site. This is a short bio, about how I got started ..... and where I am at with my music today.
My love of country music came about, listening to the radio, the records my mother collected, my parents singing and entertaining, plus the old wireless in the cowshed. We always had it blaring out, while milking our dairy cows on the home farm at Matangi, (when I was a young girl.) I first learnt to yodel while cleaning out the milk vat,( as inside... it had great acoustics!!!.) My late father had lovingly made for me my first guitar. It was a black and white real hard action, but I had a ball learning new chords etc... as he got sick of me plunking on the worn out ukulele !!! The song on my album, "MUM'S MEMORY YODEL," explains it all. It was the main inspiration for this album. When I left school in the middle 60's, I trained as a community Nurse at Hamilton Hospital. During my evenings when off duty, I joined the local folk club. There I discovered the wonderful world of Bluegrass, country and traditional Celtic music, meeting many wonderful gifted singers and musicians. The world renown "The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band," had newly formed. I simply adored their music, technique and style. With the help and guidance of many in the folk club, I learnt new skills on guitar, plus dabbled on banjo and mandolin.
A
few years later, 70's onwards...., I married and had three beautiful children.
While they were still babies, I put aside my music until they reached school
age, as we were busy dairy farming. I later taught guitar and ukulele at their
local school, helped organize many concerts with my little band of school
children, entertaining senior folk locally. My own children and I often entertained
locally and afar. Sadly my marriage had ended so I moved on...... and purchased
my commercial herd of dairy goats, working long hard hours to make it all
work. During the early eighties I joined the local country music club at Thames,
enjoying many functions with my three children Linda, Danniel and Kim. From
1985 onwards, I entered many country music awards throughout New Zealand.
I won many original song sections, yodeling, solo female, traditional and
gospel sections, plus various duet and group sections, that I and my young
daughters had participated in. 1987 was a very successful year for me, I won
the overall at the NZ Capital City country music awards, winning solo female,
Gospel, traditional and original song sections. Later on that year at Easter,
I also won the overall at the Country music awards, Lower Hutt Wellington,
which allowed me to be a finalist at the NZ country music Entertainer of the
Year Twice. The second time, along with Doug and my two little daughter's,
Linda & Kim as a family group.
I traveled to Australia in 1988 with Doug, (now my hubby) to Sydney, where we gigged around, caught up with old friends, then joined up with the Kiwi showcase in Brisbane. We then traveled on up to Rockhampton, to enter the country music festival there. I won 3rd place in yodeling and 1st place in the Gospel section. I've also done a number of gigs in Norfolk Island in the middle 80's. Before Doug and I married in 1991, I joined his band... (Snowline Country) which was a real family affair, with his young son Gary on Bass and only daughter Joanne on drums. The late Keith Hyde was our lead guitarist then. We were a busy working band, playing at various venues, country music festivals and private gigs. Graham Lovejoy joined our band playing banjo, mandolin, then moved on to lead guitar, along with Ron York who played drums, (As Joanne had left home, to start her new job.) In 1996 Doug and I recorded our first album. "Doug and Dianna in Snowline Country." All 14 tracks were our original material. Doug is also a singer/song writer. He's written the most beautiful songs, I'm his number one fan !!!
In that same year, we became voluntary radio announcers, at a newly formed 24hrs country radio station, 91 FM in Palmerston North. When that sadly closed down 3 years later, I worked on other smaller country music radio stations. Health issues, put a stop on the music and radio work for 2yrs to 3 yrs, but ya can't keep a good girl down!!! Currently I'm an on air announcer at Radio Woodville, 97 & 88.3 FM. I'm one of the few original announcers, that came in from day one, 5 yrs ago. I mainly specialize (twice a week) airing independent country music artists world wide. "HOT OFF THE PRESS" has become a very popular show. All my playlists, are posted on Lonnie Ratliff's board, "The Nashville Showcase Board," and Tom Cunningham's Board, "Total Knock Out, Australian (&N.Z.) playlist board"(it was Curly Tom, who gave me the nick name "Kiwi Kate") I also feature once a week, a special Celtic/Country/Folk, (hour long ) show "Kate's Celtic Country Corner." I've just recently started posting this playlist on The Irish playlist board. I'm always on the look out for new artists to air. If you are an indi country, folk or traditional recording artist, please contact me, as I'd welcome giving your album air play.
My new album ("ORIGINS") had been on the back burner for a few years, until my Mum and Step Dad, decided I was going to record all their favorite songs (that I had written over the years) November 2001, saw me in the studio with many of the wonderful musicians, laying down the tracks in 3 days, as that was the only time I could get them all together, due to their band work, teaching and other commitments. All are extremely busy folk who gave their time, dedication, extraordinary musicianship, creativity and friendship, into the making of this album. My heartfelt thanks goes to....... Colleen & Paul Trenwith, Graham Lovejoy, Ted Frickelton, Jack McKenzie, Gary Watson, Paul Turner, Squint, Kim (my youngest daughter) Lizanne, David Hyde, plus.... my darling husband Doug. Also to Eric Bodell, who was such a help at the begining and Cookie, for his hours of putting together the grafics and layout.
In between all my musical commitments, radio work, family life, I help run a small farmlet with my husband Doug. My day starts and finishes with milking and attending, my prized herd of pedigree Saanen dairy goats (during the milking season, 9mths of the year) We also run pigs, sheep, cattle, chooks, geese, one horse, oh yes our dogs, plus the odd stray cat or two !!!
If you would like a copy of my new c.d. just email me with your request. I'd love to hear from you.
Arohanui
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