The Southland Times
December 11, 2001

THE City of Invercargill Caledonian Pipe Band has today made a nationwide release of the single Calypso as a tribute to the late Sir Peter Blake from its debut album Pipin ' Hot .Pipe major David Pickett said the decision to dedicate the tune to Sir Peter was a spontaneous reaction from the 30 artists involved in the recording after hearing of the yachtsman's tragic death on Friday.
"He's an inspiration to us and all other teams in that he led a winning
team," Mr Pickett said. "We take inspiration from that in our endeavours to be a winning team and take ourselves to the world. We're doing different things but with a similar passion." First written and recorded by the late John Denver, Calypso is sung on the Pipin ' Hot CD by Invercargill's Shannon Cooper-Garland. It was recorded in late October as part of a 14-track Pipin ' Hot album _ which also includes Sailing _ due to be launched in Invercargill on Thursday.
It seemed only fitting, with the launch so soon after Sir Peter's death,
that Calypso become the band's musical tribute, Mr Pickett said.
"It typifies the work that Blakexpeditions are doing _ and it's one of our favourites," he said.
A copy of the track has been sent to every radio station in New Zealand.Music stores in Invercargill and Gore will stock the disc from the end of this week. Orders outside of those areas can be made on the band's website www.pipinhot.co.nz