Dave Dobbyn to play Whanganui

Dave Dobbyn plays Whanganui as part of a celebratory tour marking four decades making music.PHOTO/Ben Fraser

Dave Dobbyn is celebrating 40 years in music with a national tour that includes Whanganui.

The singer songwriter, who used to front Th' Dudes and DD Smash, plays the Opera House on April 21.

Dobbyn is well known for hits including Loyal, Slice of Heaven and Welcome Home. This year he celebrates 40 years as a songwriter, recording artist and performer with a 12 centre New Zealand tour.

Dobbyn's career began with high school band Th' Dudes. The second song he wrote Be Mine Tonight went on to be Th' Dudes first release and winner of Single of the Year at the National Music Awards in 1979.

Four decades on Dobbyn has 10 songwriting credits on APRA's Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time.

He's won Best Male Vocalist a record six times and the most awards of any New Zealand musician - three Silver Scroll awards and 29 New Zealand Music Awards across his career. He released his 10th studio album as a solo artist, Harmony House last year.

Dobbyn's tour will feature all his hits both in bands and a solo artist. He will also talk to the audience and tell anecdotes about how the songs came to be written.

Promoters say the tour by Dobbyn and his backing band "is a classic rock n roll roadtrip down the country, kicking off in Whangarei on 12 April and wrapping up just over two weeks later in Invercargill."

Dobbyn says playing provincial New Zealand gigs is "my favourite thing.

"I love it so much, it's pure pleasure. Just being aware of the community and community life - everyone's celebrating, there's an energy flow that's healthily contagious."

The tour coincides with the release of the Slice Of Heaven - 40 Years of Hits on April 7.