Bill Wolfgramm

Bill Wolfgramm
Born (1925-10-07)7 October 1925
Origin Tonga
Died 25 September 2003(2003-09-25) (aged 77)
Genres Pacific island, Hawaiian
Occupation(s) Musician
Years active 1950s–1990s
Labels Viking, Tanza, Zodiac
Associated acts Daphne Walker, Lita Daveta, Bill Wolfgramme & His Islanders
Notable instruments
Steel Guitar

Bill Wolfgramm aka Bill Wolfgramme was a musician specialising in lap steel guitar and popular Hawaiian music. He was born in the island kingdom of Tonga and is also of German descent. He is the former leader of Bill Wolfgramm & His Islanders,[1] a popular island band in New Zealand that played regularly at the Orange Ballroom, a historic dance venue in Auckland.[2]

Background

He was born in Vava'u, Tonga on 7 October 1925. As a teenager he was a member of a band whose lead guitarist was the nephew of Charlie Sanft a well known Tongan steel guitar player and teacher. at that time he was playing ukulele and rhythm guitar. He started playing the steel guitar at 19 years old. At age 23, Wolfgramm immigrated to New Zealand.

His first recording was Fijian Holiday and released as Mavis Rivers with Bill Wolfgramm and His Rhythm on the Tanza label.[3] A big draw card on the live music scene, he was also a major recording star in New Zealand during the 1950s.[4] During the 1950s when the transition from 78 rpm records to 33 rpm records was taking place, Bill Wolfgramm & His Islanders recorded South Sea Rhythm at Auckland's Astor Recording Studios. This album took four months to record and it featured Daphne Walker. It has the distinction of being one of the first long playing 33rpm records to be pressed in New Zealand.[5] There is a belief by some that this album may have been the first. He carried on recording up to the 1970s,[6] and active up until the early 1990s.

He died on 25 September 2003.[3]

He was also the uncle of the Wolfgramm family in the USA who formed the band The Jets and steel guitarist and recording artist Nani Wolfgramm.

Viking records

Along with fellow Tongan Bill Sevesi he was a recording star[1] on the New Zealand Viking Records label.[1]

Selected Discography

78 RPM

45 RPM

TANZA Releases

45RPM

[7]

Viking Releases

LPs

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The history of recording in New Zealand". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  2. Taylor, Colin (23 January 2010). "Orange hall still laden with appeal". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  3. 1 2 Audio Culture Bill Wolfgramm page on Audiocaulture NZ
  4. "Exhibitions Maori Showbands, Bill Wolfgramm". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Archived from the original on 24 May 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  5. The History of recording in New Zealand 3. The 1950s
  6. 1 2 3 Zodiac 45's
  7. Singles in My Collection The Tanza Singles Discography

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, May 01, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.