Search reconnects event of 57 years ago

A search for those connected to a musical recording made in Fairlie 57 years ago has brought memories flooding back for a 90-year-old Temuka resident.

World-renowned Timaru-born musician Stuart Pearce’s search for a Mackenzie district connection to his late father, Les Pearce, has led him to Des Scarlett who performed on the recording of the 1963 Fairlie RSA revue.

Les Pearce also performed on the reelto-reel recording of the revue and his son has been searching since 2007 for the other musicians and those connected to the Fairlie event.

And now, after going public in the Timaru Herald, Stuart Pearce has found four families connected to the event including Scarlett who plays a banjo mandolin on the recording.

Scarlett’s daughter, Jenny Simpson, got in touch with Pearce and the family now has about an hour’s worth of audio recording of the concert in their hands.

Scarlett said he was delighted when he read the Timaru Herald article as it had brought back fond memories of his concert days.

He farmed sheep and beef near Fairlie, and retired to Temuka in 2004.

‘‘We used to get together a lot and play music in halls and at dances, a lot of us were Freemasons and we all did the same sort of thing.’’

Scarlett’s two sons and two daughters all learned to play musical instruments.

‘‘I don’t do anything with my hands now in terms of the music – I have arthritis in my hands. I still try to play a bit of the electric organ.’’

Scarlett said he remembered some of those named in the article but some of it was ‘‘hard to remember’’.

‘‘Music is one of the most beautiful things you can have in your home, it is peaceful, it is lovely,’’ he said.

BEJON HASWELL/STUFF Des Scarlett, 90, identified himself in a 1963 recording at the Fairlie RSA which was published by Stuff in March this year.