Dave Dobbyn scored his first Song of the Year award on his very first try back in 1978. "Be Mine Tonight", recorded with Th' Dudes, began an unparalleled career for the renegade Auckland singer/songwriter, who has flirted with public notoriety and stellar collaborations (Tim Finn, Neil Finn, Bic Runga) en route to national-treasure status. Dobbyn made ripples in Oz with DD Smash, then major impact with the feel-good Pacific reggae anthem "Slice of Heaven", with Herbs, in 1986. But it's back in NZ that the love affair continues to flourish. His seven Top 10 solo albums include early classic Loyal, The Islander and Another Land, made in the UK with Adrian Sherwood in 2008.