Reece Kirk


Songwriter Reece Kirk tasted early success in 1974 on TV talent show Studio One, then penned Mark Williams’s 1975 hit ‘Sweet Wine’. But Kirk’s biggest achievement as a songwriter came in 1983, when Crystal Gayle took his song ‘Our Love Is On The Faultline’ to No.1 on the US country singles chart – fortuitously helped by a major earthquake in California.

Kirk was born in 1950, in Hastings. He lived all over the North Island when growing up, before finishing school in the Hutt Valley suburb of Taita. “It kicked off after I left Taita College in 1968,” he says. “I started a few bands and did some work around bars and what have you.”

Reece Kirk’s ‘Rainy August Night’ was the b-side of The Yandall Sisters’ single ‘The Love I Feel’, which reached No.19 on the New Zealand singles chart in December 1974
‘Old Man Temptation’ was the debut single of Friends, released in 1974. Written by Reece Kirk, it was backed with ‘The Pine Cone Song’
Crystal Gayle’s recording of Reece Kirk’s song ‘Our Love Is On The Faultline’ reached No.1 on Billboard’s US country singles chart in June 1983
Ray Columbus, left, presents Reece Kirk, centre, and Bob Aird of Rondor Music Australia with an award for ‘Our Love Is On The Faultline’ at the 1985 APRA Music Awards in Australia
Wayne Roland Brown’s recording of Reece Kirk’s song ‘Our Love Is On The Faultline’ was released as a single in Australia in 1981
Crystal Gayle’s album True Love – which included Reece Kirk’s song ‘Our Love Is On The Faultline’ – spent a year on the US country album chart, peaking at No.14 in January 1983.
Reece Kirk at the 1984 ASCAP Country Music Awards in Nashville, receiving another award for ‘Our Love Is On The Faultline’. From left: Bob Aird of Rondor Music Australia, an Almo/Irving Nashville A&R rep, Reece Kirk, Hal David (president of ASCAP), David Conrad of Almo/Irving Nashville), Lance Freed of Rondor Music Los Angeles, and a Rondor A&R rep.
Reece Kirk’s first single – ‘Good Morning Sun’ backed with ‘Vincent’ – released in 1972 on Edd Morris's Strange label. 
A still image of Friends – Reece Kirk and Steve Mackenzie – performing ‘Old Man Temptation’ in the 1974 Studio One New Faces final.
Mark Williams’ recording of Reece Kirk’s song ‘Sweet Wine’ reached No.7 on the New Zealand singles chart, in December 1975
Reece Kirk in Friends, performing 'Old Man Temptation' on the Studio One New Faces final 1974.
Reece Kirk’s mid 70s group Friends played shows for Radio Hauraki on the back of a truck at Auckland beaches. L to R: Brad Murray, Reece Kirk and Steve Mackenzie.
Photo credit: Reece Kirk collection
Reece Kirk at his desk at home, late 1990s.
Ray Columbus, left, presents Reece Kirk, centre, with an award for ‘Our Love Is On The Faultline’ at the 1985 APRA Music Awards in Australia. Behind Kirk is Bob Aird, managing director of Rondor Music Australia. 
Reece Kirk’s band Friends supported Roy Orbison at the Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth, 15 February 1975. 
Photo credit: Taranaki Photo News, 19 March 1975.
‘Melody Dreamer’, the second single from Friends – at this time Reece Kirk and Steve Mackenzie – was produced by Edd Morris. On the b-side was ‘No More Than Travellers’
Reece Kirk’s songs have been recorded by numerous Australian country and pop acts. Kirk’s song ‘A Little Bit Of Lovin’’ was recorded by Sydney club act Coleman Brothers – and by Wayne Roland Brown and Crystal Gayle (unreleased).
Friends circa 1974. From left: Steve Mackenzie, guitar and vocals; Reece Kirk, lead vocals and guitar; and Brad Murray, bass and vocals.
Photo credit: Reece Kirk collection
Reece Kirk, left, at the 1985 APRA Music Awards in Australia, where received an award for ‘Our Love Is On The Faultline’. With him are Australian songwriter Brian Cadd, centre, and Bob Aird, managing Director of Rondor Music Australia. 
Australian band The Shapes released their recording of Reece Kirk’s song ‘Thunder And Lightning’ in 1980. “It was co-produced by Chris Neal, a techno-pop producer here in Sydney,” says Kirk. “I believe it had a showing on TV show Countdown.”
The Reece Kirk-penned title track of Wayne Roland Brown’s Trick Of The Light album was released as a single in New Zealand in 1982
The Yandall Sisters performed Reece Kirk’s ‘Rainy August Night’ in the Studio One original song competition on NZBC-TV, 1974
Reece Kirk, 2000s
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Strange Music


Polydor


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