It had people curious, scratching heads, shrugging shoulders. 'Music Man Lane?”

Who is the music man who deserved recognition on a new street sign in Katikati? Was there actually a music man or was it just imagination at play?

The Weekend Sun spoke to people in town who have their fingers on the pulse, people you think would know. Not the case though. No-one seemed to know why Music Man Lane was called Music Man Lane.

'Ummm, don't know!” they said at Katch Katikati. They were stumped.

Music Man Lane is off Beach Rd, right outside Katikati College. Another blank there.

'We aren't aware of any connection between the school and the naming of the road,” was the college response.

Someone else had driven past, seen the sign and wondered why.

'But can't think why,” they said.

The late Peter Mitchell where he liked being – behind a piano. Photo: Supplied.

Over the Auckland Harbour Bridge in Albany, Sophie Gibson thought she knew.

'Peter Mitchell – the perfectionist,” says the singer-songwriter and music teacher.

Music Man Lane must be for him, the retired and now deceased head of music at Katikati College.

'He started teaching me piano as an eight-year-old in 2008 – introduced me to the world of music, modelled my career and is responsible for who I am and what I am doing today – 100 per cent.”

What she's doing is teaching piano herself now, also recording and doing gigs – music is her life, Peter Mitchell's music is now her music.

Then confirmation from the son of The Music Man, and according to Sophie Gibson, himself 'a great musician”.

'Yes, the lane name is a tribute to my Dad,” says Anton Mitchell. 'He was Katikati College head of music for more than 20 years in the 1980s, 1990s and early-2000s. He developed the music department substantially, and every year organised a music production that brought the kids and community together.”

The street sign points to a small undeveloped subdivision off Beach Rd in Katikati – locals tell us Mrs Taylor of Taylor Bros Transport lived there for many years.

Singer-songwriter and music teacher Sophie Gibson attributes her success to the late Peter Mitchell. Photo: Supplied.

Anton's company is involved with the subdivision, which is right next door to the college his father taught at. Music Man Lane appears to be the accessway to that subdivision.

'That is the origin,” says Anton. 'That's what you can tell anyone who has enquired.”

But why Music Man Lane? Why the baffling nod to a much-loved and respected Katikati local? Why not Peter Mitchell Lane? Anton didn't respond to that question.

But Music Man Lane is much more romantic, exotic and thought-provoking than two alternatives put to the Western Bay of Plenty District Council – Parkside Lane and Isabel Lane. They were binned because they were either in conflict, a duplicate or sounded like other roads around town.

'I love Music Man Lane,” says the piano teacher's protégé. 'It's cute. It's cool.”

Then Sophie slips into a refrain from ABBA.

'Tonight the super trouper lights are going to find me… Shining like the sun, Smiling having fun.”

Then giggles from the songstress.

'Peter taught me accompaniment piano – he always wanted me to sing and play.”

So the jazz and blues buff taught her ABBA. ‘Super Trouper'. Perfectly.

'He was a perfectionist, he always wanted me to play perfectly and be perfect,” says Sophie.

Like when he encouraged her to take an exam for piano because 'it would be good for her” and he had coached her to be 'absolutely ready”.

She scored 96 per cent. But he sat her down, pondered and said: 'Let's talk about the four per cent you got wrong.” She could never tell if he was joking.

'He was a lovely man, really cool, and really calm. If I made a mistake he would just say ‘that's alright, let's go again'.”

Peter got sick from cancer and the 79-year-old died in 2013.

'It was a very sad time for me because his illness didn't stop him. He pretty much taught me right up until the day he died,” says Sophie.

Then the son took over.

'Anton coached me. Anton's great, really good, plays similarly to Peter.”

The Weekend Sun editor Merle Cave has a fond memory of the man.

When Peter retired from Katikati College he turned to orcharding – from piano to berries – and Merle dropped by to talk to him.

'He didn't seem to be around, but there was this beautiful piano music wafting from his house.”

It was the music man doing what he loved most, what he did best.

'I won't forget it,” says Merle. 'It was so beautiful.”

Anyhow, the next time you wander down Beach Rd past Music Man Lane you might just smile, remember Peter Mitchell, and surrender to stuck song syndrome and hum a few bars of ‘Super Trouper'.