Back in the early '70s, my beat-up Morris 1000 would reluctantly slow down to 50kph in this long narrow town, interrupting my race home from uni for a decent meal after three months of deprivation. It took forever, take Gore away!
Perspectives change, and now, as a resident of Auckland and a board member of the Bayleys Tussock Country Music Festival trust, Gore holds a special place in my heart.
Each year, I eagerly anticipate spending ten days with my southern family. I divide my time between Gore and commuting to and from Invercargill, channelling my fan boy enthusiasm for country music into labour of love duties, ensuring the festival runs smoothly. And yes, I still get called "young fella."
Gore is no ordinary town. It gave birth to talents like Dusty Spittle, with Max McCauley still teaching yodelling, and hometown heroes like Luke Hurley, Jackie Bristow, and the emerging Jenny Mitchell and her sisters, The Mitchell Twins.
The MLT NZ Gold Guitar Awards, the signature event closing festival week, catapults talents from across the country into the limelight.
Yet, Gore is more than just music. It's moonshine and mullets, cheese rolls and chutzpah, and mysterious African art.
The town boasts big trucks and bagpipes, buskers with bits off, and single malts at eight bucks a shot. Its people offer homestays, serving breakfast and bed with salt of the earth hospitality, and the mighty Mataura River gracefully runs through it.
Come on down to Bayleys Tussock Country—it's where we all come from, where the heartbeat of heartland music mingles with the spirit of the community. May 24th to June 2nd 2024. www.tussockcountry.nz
Roger Bowie. Festival committee member, ex corporate suit, avid Americana music fan, record collector and Auckland resident with proud Tuatapere roots.
