Bunny Te Kokiri Miha Waahi Walters (31 May 1953 – 14 December 2016) was a New Zealand singer who had a number of New Zealand hits during the 1970s. He is best known for the hits "Brandy" and "Take the Money and Run".
Walters represented New Zealand at the 1986 ABU Popular Song Contest and won with the song "Taken By Love".
Background
Of Ngāi Te Rangi descent,
Walters was born and raised in
Katikati, a town on the North Island of New Zealand.
Career
In 1969, he competed against
Tui Fox at Joe Brown's at the Rotorua Soundshell during the
Search for Stars event held there. Fox was singing similar material to Walters. Fox won the final with Walters coming in second.
[Steven Shaw, Bunny Walters – still singing his heart out, AudioCulture.co.nz, 30 June 2014.] His first single, titled "Just Out of Reach", was released in 1969. He then released "It's Been Too Long" and "Can't Keep You Out of My Heart".
[ Bunny Walters profile, muzic.net.nz. Retrieved 14 December 2016.] During one of the talent quests, held at the Opera House in Palmerston North, he was beaten by singer Richard Turei, whose daughter
Metiria Turei would later serve as co-leader of the Green Party in New Zealand.
[ "Parenting and family, My father before me", womensweekly.co.nz, 31 August 2016.]
Walters made his first television appearance on Happen-Inn, a New Zealand television show.[ Index Item: Bunny Walters, from Auckland Star, 8 April 1970, p27.]
After performing at Expo 70 in Osaka, Japan, he received contracts to return to Japan. He gained considerable exposure. The New Zealand Herald reported that he may have also appeared on the Rolf Harris show in London.[ Index Item: Young singer was big hit in Japan, from New Zealand Herald, 3 September 1970, p114.]
In 1971, he replaced Vaughan Lawrence as the resident singer on Happen-Inn.[ Index Item: New resident singer for 'Happen Inn', from Auckland Star, 10 September 1971, p60.]
In 1972, he recorded "Brandy" (which reached No. 4 on the pop charts).[ ..... Bunny Walters' record of the song "Brandy" has been so successful that it is to be produced in sheet music form, The New Zealand Herald, 4 May 1972.] That same year he had a hit with Take The Money And Run" (which reached #2).
In 1973 he had a hit with "Home Isn't Home Anymore" (which reached #18).[ New Zealand Herald, 30 June 1973 – (Article by John Berry] a Tat Meager composition also recorded that year by Leapy Lee.[Discogs – Bunny Walters – Helena][Discogs – Leapy Lee – Helena]
1974
In 1974, Walters had a hit with a song originally recorded by Ben Thomas, written by
Gary Sulsh,
Stuart Leathwood, and
Tony Macaulay.
[Discogs – Ben Thomas (10) – The Nearest Thing To Heaven] His version of "The Nearest Thing To Heaven", produced by Alan Galbraith reached No. 10 that year.
[45Cat – Bunny Walters – Discography]
In June he had toured with the Supremes. Another singer from New Zealand, Erana Clark was announced earlier to be on the same tour with Walters.[ Stuff, 24 December 2016 – The kid from Katikati, singer Bunny Walters BESS MANSON][ New Zealand Herald, 25 May 1974 – (John Berry article) Bunny Walters and Erana Clark will tour with the Supremes in June] That year he won two awards at the RATA awards. One was for best male vocalist and the other for best recording artist.[ Index Item: Just the place for show case, from Auckland Star, 31 August 1974, p113.]
- Damage to career
In October 1974 he was convicted of possessing a very small amount of marijuana and fined convicted and fined $100 for possession.
[ Auckland Star, 24 October 1974 – Entertainer had cannabis in car] This had a catastrophic effect on his career. Prior to the conviction, he was always in demand. He was getting work, being hired to perform in pubs, clubs and for certain organisations. Then as a result of falling foul of influential people he was virtually blacklisted from TV and radio. He disappeared from the spotlight almost immediately.
[ Manukau Courier, 20 December 2016 – Bunny Walters was 'world class' singer – WILLIE JACKSON][New Zealand CDS's – Walters, Bunny: Very Best of Bunny Walters ]
Mid 70s onwards
In 1978, he recorded a promotional record for the New Zealand Labour Party. The single was titled "To Be Free with Labour" and was the B side of a song titled "To Be Free", written by Robinson-Bretnall.
[Elsewhere Bunny Walters: To be Free with Labour (year unknown)]
During the 1980s he was also singing jingles and getting a lot of work in that area. According to an article in AudioCulture by Steven Shaw, The New Zealand Herald reported in August 1986 that 80% of the advertising jingles heard in New Zealand, featuring male and female voices were by Walters and singer Annie Crummer.[Audio Culture, 20 June 2014 – Bunny Walters Profile – Steve Shaw] Among these projects was a verse from a version of the New Zealand national anthem that was recorded for World Expo 88, which also aired during TVNZ's daily opening transmission during the late 1980s and early 1990s.[ TVNZ Transmission Opening ID Television (Full Length) – 1976 – 1992]
In June 1991, he was appearing on stage in a production of Porgy and Bess.[ Sunday Star, 9 June 1991 – .... Bunny Walters is back on stage in Porgy and Bess]
In 2013, Walters was the profile in episode 9 of The Untold Stories of New Zealand Music History.[Scoop Independent News The Untold Stories Of New Zealand Music History, scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 14 December 2016.]
Film and television
- Drama
Walters appeared in the 1978 film
Skin Deep.
[imdb Bunny Walters]
The song "Never Say Die" from single the "Never Say Die" / "Gotta Get Outta Here" WEA Records Limited Z10002 was composed and performed by Billy Kristian. It is featured during the closing credits of the 1988 film Never Say Die which starred Temuera Morrison and Lisa Eilbacher. He appeared in an episode of the New Zealand prime-time soap opera, Shortland Street.[ Walters, Bunny: Very Best of Bunny Walters, newzealandcds.com. Retrieved 14 December 2016.]
Ministry
Walters became a Christian in or around 1995/1997. In a 1999 interview, he told
The Sunday Star-Times that his conversion came about as a result of a pastor inviting him to church. Because he didn't have much else going on, he was looking forward to attending.
[ Stuff, 24 December 2016 – The kid from Katikati, singer Bunny Walters – BESS MANSON] He was living in Queensland, Australia from around 2004, moving around before settling on one of the Islands in Queensland. While living in Queensland, the main amount of singing he did was in church.
[Audio Culture, 30 June 2014 – Bunny Walters: a 2014 interview, Steven Shaw] In his quest to evangelise, he was in Canada at one stage for a month. While there he preached to an Inuit community.
Illness and death
Walters died in
Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, on 14 December 2016 after a short illness.
[ 'Chur bro': Iconic Māori singer Bunny Walters dies aged 63, Yahoo! News. Retrieved 23 January 2017.][ "Tribute concert for New Zealand hit maker", Stuff (company). Retrieved 23 January 2016.]
Funeral service
He had been lying in state at
Tokoroa's Papa o te Aroha Marae. The funeral service was at Elim Christian Church, with a private cremation to follow.
[ Farewell for Kiwi music legend Bunny Walters – Elton Rikihana Smallman, Stuff (company). Retrieved 23 January 2017.]
Tribute concert
It was announced in
Stuff that a tribute concert for Walters was to be held at the Tokoroa Cosmopolitan Club on 4 February 2017. Artists scheduled to appear were
Tom Sharplin, Dennis Marsh, Ray Solomon, Larry Morris, Dennis August and Craven Noble.
[ Stuff, 18 January 2017 – Tribute concert for New Zealand hit maker LUKE KIRKEBY]
Releases
Film and television appearances
External links
