For the past 15 years, he has been coming to the annual hoedown in the Waitaki Valley, first at the Hakataramea Hotel, then Otematata and, for the first time in its 24-year history, this year at Omarama.
It is his big chance to perform, mainly Slim Dusty songs, before an audience of hundreds.
When he started in 1995 at the Hakataramea Hotel, there were about 50 people.
At the weekend, between 700 and 800 enthusiasts turned up at the new venue to hear more than 100 musicians.
Organiser Ferg Mitchell judged the event a huge success.
It will be held in the township again next year.
What struck him this year was the number of new faces at the hoedown, the support of the community, and the amount of space at the Countrytime Hotel base - enough for a huge marquee and to park 102 campervans and caravans.
Mr Harvey (70) was born at Tapui, inland North Otago, where his parents farmed.
When he was 15, he learnt the steel guitar at the behest of his mother, a fan of Hawaiian music.
When he retired to Christchurch, he joined the Cavalier Country Music Club in Timaru, and made his first trip to the hoedown, at the Hakataramea Hotel.
Since then, he has returned every year.
"It's fantastic," he said about the hoedown.
"You meet people from all over New Zealand, and catch up with every year. The camaraderie is great."
