A musical couple coming to play in Levin next weekend actually met each other at a music festival 30 years ago.
Neil Finlay was playing at the 1993 Auckland Blues Festival as a guest performer, while Crissi Blair also took the stage with her Irish folk songs.
There was an occasion when the accomplished musicians were on stage together. Earlier in the day Blair had cut her finger while baking. It became more and more painful while she was on stage later that day.
“We turned my guitar down and his guitar up and we’ve been playing together ever since,” she said.
“My husband is a terrific blues player and I’m just lucky enough to be married to him.”
The Covid-19 lockdown period laid the platform for the duo to reignite their passion for performing together. Between online work commitments, they would play music.
“It was a godsend,” she said.
“We had played together on and off although I hadn’t played for a while. So what we are doing at the moment has come from that.”
Finlay is well-known in the blues scene. He picked up the guitar as a teenager and his love for old-time blues has seen him sharing the stage with international blues and country musicians, touring with the likes of Brownie McGhee, Billy Joe Shaver and Townes Van Zandt.
His repertoire spans genres including country, blues, jazz and swing, playing in many a jazz bar, blues club and folk and jazz festivals as a soloist or with one of his many bands.
Blair has enjoyed a lifetime love of folk and country music, playing guitar and singing in Irish bars, folk clubs and at the kitchen table. Together for the Ōhau concert, they promise to play a mix of Americana, folk, blues, country, Irish and traditional music.
But you can guarantee there will always be a blues set from Finlay.
“People complain if we do a gig and he doesn’t play enough blues,” she said.
The gig is on Saturday, June 22. For more information or to book seating contact ohaufolk@gmail.com for seats. Supper is provided. Tickets are $20.
