Album release dead on

Country to the core . . .Ron Mitchell (back row, third from left) with his backing band as he...
Country to the core . . .Ron Mitchell (back row, third from left) with his backing band as he celebrated the release of his second album Dead on Country at the Waimumu Field Days on Saturday Night. PHOTO: HO ¯NETANA PRODUCTIONS
It was a sold out affair at the Woolshed venue at the Waimumu Field Days site, as Ron Mitchell celebrated the release of his second album.

The new LP, Dead on Country, was his first album of original material.

It features songs he wrote over the past few years about whisky, country life, and everything in between.

An album release party on Saturday night quickly sold out and people packed into the venue to enjoy a good night of country music.

Mr Mitchell said it was an excellent night and he was very happy with how it all went.

‘‘It was real good.

‘‘Perfect really, as far as I was concerned.

‘‘Good band, we got a bit of practice in on Thursday and Friday.

He said they could have done it with their eyes shut by the time they got there.

Mr Mitchell said he was very pleased with the reception of the new songs, with people singing and dancing along.

‘‘Some of the songs I’ve been singing around here for 10 years.

‘‘A lot of the club members have heard them before.

‘‘We had line dancers there, dancing along to some of them, that was really good,’’ he said.

Mr Mitchell said the album was very well received, and plenty of people lined up for autographs.

‘‘I know I signed more than I thought I was going to have to, so there was quite a few sold,’’ he said.

He said it was hard to pin down the best highlights of the night, but a few came to mind.

‘‘Just seeing some of the crowd’s reactions to the songs they haven’t heard before.

‘‘We also did quite a few cover songs as well, just to make it a bit more interesting.’’

The singing from the girls and the guitar playing from the band was unbelievable, he said.

‘‘We also had Marian Burns, she was down for the A&P show, and she did The Devil went down to Georgia with us and that was a crowd-pleaser as well,’’ he said.

Mr Mitchell said he was grateful for everyone who made the night one to to remember.

‘‘Thanks for all the support of the Gore Country Music club, and the band as well,’’ he said.

gerrit.doppenberg@alliedpress.co.nz