Piers Hayman, who some of you may remember, finally lost his fight with cancer at Auckland Hospital in the early hours of 25 September 2011.

He started his musical career in a skiffle group, then formed a duo with Peter Cox in the '50s and performed at folk clubs all over the UK. He moved to the Netherlands in '73 and formed a duo with Dutch guitarist John Kuiper, eventually producing three albums in the late '70s.

He moved to New Zealand in 1982 and made many friends during his varied career, which included: folk singer, artist, art educator, tv and radio host, newspaper columnist, ornithologist and author. His last book was his folk music autobiography, "A few grains of sand," and a CD in late 2010.

Despite taking a break from folk music for several years, he came back into the fold in the last twelve months of his life and performed his final concert at a folk club near Wellington in late July, not that he knew it was his last. He just kept going and going, an inspiration right 'til the end.

We miss you, Piers.

Official obituary here