With a second album in the works and an upcoming tour to Nashville, Tennessee, life's damn sweet for Tauranga's Josh Durning.

Tauranga guitarist Josh Durning is off on a two-week tour of Nashville, Tennessee, in July. Photo by David Tauranga.

The talented guitarist will be playing at two festivals and a handful of private shows in the American city during the first week of July.

'I'll be playing the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society and the National Association of Music Merchants Show, which is the largest music industry event in the world.

'These are the two biggest festivals in town so I'm really excited, plus I'll be catching up with a few friends who've wanted to get me over there for a while now.”

During his tour, Josh will perform his solo work, but will pepper set lists with material from his new album ‘Josh Durning and Friends', which is currently in production at Welcome Bay's Colour Field Studios.

Josh says a number of local musos make appearances on the album, a departure from his debut EP where it was just him and his guitar.

'One tune, ‘House of the Rising Sun', I usually perform solo, but on this album it features Nigel Masters on upright bass and Trevor Braunias playing the nylon guitar.

'I do enjoy playing it solo, but with the three of us there's a lot of more dimensions and the sound is wider.”

Before he leaves for the United States, Josh says he'll be looking to arrange a concert, so for all you fans: watch this space.

'We're looking at a few places and just trying to find a suitable venue. It'll be slightly for fundraising but mainly just another way for me to play some more tunes before I leave.”