RICK Price believes his musical journey has gone full circle as he prepares to release his latest studio album.
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Tennessee Sky will be released in the early part of this year, and Price describes it as a "mixed bag".
"The material really is a combination of styles really with old-school gospel, old-school soul, blues and pop all rolled into one record," Price told The Examiner.
"I've just come back from a European tour [with Tommy Emmanuel] where I played quite a lot of the material, and the response to my new music was fantastic.
"This album really does hark back to the roots of my music that I grew up with, so I do feel like I have come full circle.
"I have made this record predominantly for my audience and for myself."
Price - known for his hit songs Not A Day Goes By, Heaven Knows, River Of Love and Walk Away Renee - will be playing some of these new tracks at shows in Devonport and Wynyard this weekend.
"There's nothing like it [playing new music], as the reason you write and record music is to share it with people, so playing it live and connecting with a live audience - that is really the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow.
"It really is my favourite thing to do, but in order to do that I need to ensure that I have written and recorded the music that I want to present on that night.
"I just write and perform music that I love, and I know my audience will enjoy."
Price said there would be a mixture of the old and the new at Red Hot Music in Devonport on Friday and The Wharf Hotel at Wynyard on Saturday.
"I always like to make sure that I have some of my early material ready to play, as I look at all my albums and try to make sure I have something to play from each of those albums.
"My audience still wants to hear the hits that have been favourites for them, so I always have a greatest hits in my head that I work off - I don't really have a greatest hits, I just work off what is good.
"I try to cover as much territory as I can, as well as showcase the new material so people know where I'm going and what I'm up to."
Price said he would create an "intimate" atmosphere.
"I really want people to feel a connection with the songs, with the stories about the songs," he said.
"I won't go out with a lot of lights, smoke and mirrors, it will just be a show where I aim to connect with the audience on an emotional and spiritual level, and create an experience where they are really moved by that."
GIG FACTS
WHO: Rick Price.
WHERE: Red Hot Music, Devonport, and the Wharf Hotel, Wynyard.
WHEN: Friday and Saturday.
HOW MUCH: Devonport: $30, under 16s $15. Wynyard: $35. Tickets from the venues.