Singing Cowboy saddles up in Manawatu¯
Jock Hume, the Singing Cowboy, is moseying on down through the Manawatu¯ and Horowhenu once again.
Hume has become a well-known figure of Kiwi country music, wandering from town to town performing classics such as Jim Reeves’ I Love You Because and the Johnny Cash crowd-pleaser Ring of Fire, during the past 49 years.
He was one of New Zealand’s first permitted buskers when it was legalised in the 1980s and cemented his name performing at parties, bars, shops and events.
Hume was even hired by Georgie Pie to entertain kids at the Kiwi fast-food joint in 1996. But Georgie Pie ran into financial trouble and was bought out. So, seven months later, he was back to his wandering ways and riding into the sunset.
Hume has had to give up driving and horse riding as he got older, so now the public bus is his steed.
But he still preferred to hitch-hike, he said. ‘‘I enjoy meeting new people and the people who do stop are always very nice. Sometimes they even recognise me, which is nice.’’
The Singing Cowboy is working his way down from Hamilton, and expects to pass through Taihape in the next few days and Palmerston North next week.
Hume said he was in talks about doing a ‘‘cowboy day’’ of singing and activities at Palmerston North’s Lido Aquatic Centre for its school holiday programme, although it was yet to be confirmed.
He’ll definitely be spending time performing in his favourite Palmerston North busking spots on The Square and outside The Plaza Shopping Centre.
After a couple of days, he’ll make a return to the Levin A and P Show over Wellington Anniversary weekend.