Patsy Evelyn Ann RiggirQSM (born 6 October 1945) is a New Zealand country and western singer and songwriter. She was a regular performer on the New Zealand Country and Western television show That's Country, had her own show Patsy Riggir Country in 1986, and has appeared on various shows including the Ralph Emery Show, the Fan Fair International Show and the Grand Ole Opry.
Biography
Riggir was born in the South Waikato town of Arapuni, and was educated at Te Kuiti School, and Te Kuiti and Putaruru High Schools. She entered several talent quests and sang on IXH Hamilton aged 5, but then gave up singing until she joined the local country music club in 1974. Her first album, True Country Music, was released in 1980.[1]
She has received many awards including New Zealand Entertainer of the Year in 1980, various APRA Awards for Best Female Vocalist, Best Song, Best Songwriter etc. and various NZRIA awards. She represented New Zealand at country music gatherings in Fort Worth, Texas in 1983 & 1984, Nashville in 1987, and was inducted into the Tamworth, NSW Hall of Fame in 1982. In the 1994 New Year Honours, Riggir was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for community service.[2] She now lives near Putāruru.
Discography
Albums
Date
Title
Label
1980
True Country Music
RCA
1981
Lay Down Beside Me
Epic
1982
Are You Lonely
Epic/Sony Records
1984
You'll Never Take the Country Out of Me
Epic
1985
You Remind Me of a Love Song
Epic
1986
Country
Epic
1987
Close to Thee
Epic
The Best Plus Four (compilation album)
Epic
1990
Liberated Lady
Epic
1992
Moonlight and Roses
Epic
1993
My Little Corner of the World
Epic
2001
Very Best Of Patsy Riggir (compilation album)
Tristar
2003
Never Ending Songs Of Love
Rajon Music Group
2013
Beautiful Lady" The Very Best of Patsy Riggir (compilation album)
Sony
Awards
Riggir was the first winner of Gore's Golden Guitar Awards in 1974[3]
Country Music Awards of Australia
The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973.[4]