Part one looks at the early stars of New Zealand recording...
The early stars of New Zealand recording: singers such as Marion Waite, Pixie Williams, Mavis Rivers, Esme Stephens, Pat McMinn, and vocal groups such as the Knaves and the Stardusters.
Blue Smoke: The Birth of New Zealand Pop is written, presented and produced by Chris Bourke, whose book about the history of early New Zealand popular music, Blue Smoke, is published by Auckland University Press.
Music Details - Canaries and Crooners:
Track: Blue Smoke
Artist: Pixie Williams and the Ruru Karaitiana Quintet
Composer: Ruru Karaitiana
Album: Kiwi Nostalgia Hits of the 50s
Catalogue Number: BMG 139283
Track: White Cliffs of Dover
Artist: Jean McPherson, at Trentham Military Camp
Composer: Burton-Kent
Source: RNZ music collection, Wellington
Track: I Wouldn’t Take a Million
Artist: Jean McPherson, with Majestic Cabaret/2YA Radio Dance Band
Composer: Warren-Gordon
Source: RNZ music collection, Wellington
Track: All I Want from You
Artist: Jean McPherson with Findlay Robb
Composer: Fritz Rotter
Source: RNZ music collection, Wellington
Singer Marion Waite
Track: Tallahassee
Artist: Marion Waite, with the Freddie Gore 2YA Orchestra
Composer: Loesser
Source: RNZ Sound Archives D10418a
Track: Mockin’ Bird Hill
Artist: Esme Stephens, the Duplicats with the Johnny Thomson Trio
Composer: Vaughan Horton
78rpm disc: Zodiac Z102
Track: How High the Moon
Artist: Esme Stephens with the Crombie Murdoch Orchestra
Composer: Lewis-Hamilton
78rpm disc: Stebbing S101
Track: I’ll String Along With You
Artist: Mavis Rivers with the Rhythm Club
Composer: Dubin-Warren
Album: Kiwi Nostalgia Hits of the 50s
Catalogue Number: BMG 139283
Track: All of Me
Artist: Mavis Rivers with the George Campbell Trio
Composer: Marks-Simons
78rpm disc: Stebbing S125
Track: Dancing in My Socks
Artist: Pat McMinn and the Stardusters with Crombie Murdoch’s Nickelodeons
Composer: Kane-Green-Kriegsman
Album: The Great Kiwi Tanza Recordings
Catalogue Number: Rajon 411
Track: Bimbo
Artist: Pat McMinn with Crombie Murdoch and his Rhythm
Composer: Rod Morris
78rpm disc: Tanza Z222
Track: Opo the Crazy Dolphin
Artist: Pat McMinn, Bill Langford and the Crombie Murdoch Trio
Composer: Crombie Murdoch
Album: Kiwi Nostalgia Hits of the 50s
Catalogue Number: BMG 139283
Track: A Dreamer’s Holiday
Artist: John Hoskins, Henry Rudolph’s Harmony Serenaders and the Alex Lindsay Strings
Composer: Ganlon-Wayne-Collins
Album: Kiwi Nostalgia Hits of the 50s
Catalogue Number: BMG 139283
Track: Busy Line
Artist: Knaves
Composer: Stemos-Stanton
Album: Kiwi Nostalgia Hits of the 50s
Catalogue Number: BMG 139283
Track: The Kentuckian Song
Artist: Buster Keene and Dorothy Brannigan
Composer: Irving Gordon
Album: Kiwi Nostalgia Hits of the 50s
Catalogue Number: BMG 139283
Track: Memories Are Made of This
Artist: Graham Godber and the Stardusters
Composer: Gilkyson-Dehr-Miller
Album: The Great Kiwi Tanza Recordings
Catalogue Number: Rajon 411
Track: Rock Around the Island
Artist: Stardusters with Bill Wolfgramm and Ray Gunter
Composer: Ken Darby
Album: The Great Kiwi Tanza Recordings
Catalogue Number: Rajon 411
Track: Open up your heart
Artist: Three Lads with Crombie Murdoch Rhythm
Composer: Stuart Hamblen
Album: The Great Kiwi Tanza Recordings
Catalogue Number: Rajon 411
Track: Dungaree Doll
Artist: Austin Moon
Composer: Sherman Edwards
Album: The Great Kiwi Tanza Recordings
Catalogue Number: Rajon 411
Track: McNamara’s Band
Artist: Knaves
Composer: O’Connor
Source: RNZ music collection, Wellington (originally from 1940s NBS seriesNew Zealand Presents, held at RNZ Sound Archives, Christchurch)
