Gone but not forgotten …

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At this time of the year, there is always reflection on the year just gone. And with that reflection is consideration of people of note who have died.

Of the NZ musicians who have worked in Australia there are two names that spring to mind. Both died very late in 2016: Ray Columbus and Bunny Walters. Ray Columbus’s death received lots of publicity & has been mentioned on this blog. Bunny Walters’ death was less publicized.

He was a well-known Katikati-born Maori singer with a powerful voice, best known for his hit ‘Brandy’ in 1973. Early in his career he sang ballads and the early 70s was a resident singer on television’s music programme Happen Inn. Once he heard the soul singers, he too took to the genre. He lived in Queensland for a number of years before returning to NZ where he died.

Another musician who needs acknowledging is actually Australian but is important to NZ music. That’s Matt Croke, who in NZ was known as Max Kelly, the young Australian Air Force deserter who joined the Chants R&B not long before the band departed Christchurch heading for Melbourne. He died the same day as ex-Daddy Cool/ex-Party Machine (Australian) guitarist Ross Hannaford making the day a difficult one for Cantabrian Mike Rudd, who had been in the Chants with Matt and Party Machine with Ross.

 

 

 

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