Peter Paul Posa MNZM (8 August 1941 – 3 February 2019) was a New Zealand guitarist most famous for his instrumental "The White Rabbit",[1] which was released in 1963.[1] The song is a guitar instrumental that sold 100,000 copies.[2]
Peter Posa | |
|---|---|
 Posa in the 1960s | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Peter Paul Posa |
| Born | 8 August 1941 West Auckland, New Zealand |
| Died | 3 February 2019 (aged 77) Hamilton, New Zealand |
| Occupation | Entertainer |
| Years active | 1961–2019 |
Career
editPosa was born in West Auckland, New Zealand, on 8 August 1941 to Paul and Millie Posa, who had migrated from Croatia.[3] Posa started learning the ukelele at the age of seven and formed his first band when he was 18 years old.[4]
In the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours, Posa was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to entertainment.[5][6][7] Posa died at Waikato Hospital on 3 February 2019 at the age of 77.[8]
In 2012, White Rabbit The Very Best of Peter Posa went to the top of the New Zealand album charts, spending six weeks at the number-one spot.[9][10][3][11]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| String Along With Peter |
|
| Tiki Tunes |
|
| The White Rabbit and Other Tunes for Playboys |
|
| Tiki Tunes |
|
| Mad Hatter |
|
| The Hitch-Hiker (with His Golden Guitar) |
|
| Flying High (with His Golden Guitar) |
|
| The Sound Of Peter Posa (with His Golden Guitar) |
|
| Beat Guitar (with His Golden Guitar) |
|
| This Is Peter Posa |
|
| The Posa Scottish & Irish Album (with The Thistlemen) |
|
| Guitar Sounds |
|
| My Kind of Pickin |
|
| Internationally Yours |
|
| Guitar Pops |
|
| South Seas Guitars (with Bill Wolfgramme and His Islanders and Trevor Edmondson) |
|
Live albums
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| On Stage with Lou & Simon & Peter Posa (with Lou & Simon) |
|
Extended plays
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Peter Posa Hits (with His Golden Guitar) |
|
| More Peter Posa Hits (with His Golden Guitar) |
|
| Posa Plays Guitar Boogie (with His Golden Guitar) |
|
| Posa Plays Westerns (with His Golden Guitar) |
|
| Peter Posa Goes Gonk |
|
| Maori Melodies On Guitar |
|
| Do You Want to Dance? |
|
| Gizmo |
|
| Positively Posa |
|
Charting compilation albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| NZ [13] | ||
| The Best of Peter Posa |
|
37 |
| My Pick |
|
44 |
| White Rabbit: The Very Best Of |
|
1 |
| Golden Guitar: The Peter Posa Anthology |
|
9 |
| Plays The Hits of the British Invasion |
|
10 |
Awards
editIn the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours, Posa was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to entertainment.
Aotearoa Music Awards
editThe Aotearoa Music Awards (previously known as New Zealand Music Awards (NZMA)) are an annual awards night celebrating excellence in New Zealand music and have been presented annually since 1965.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | My Pick | Worship of the Year | Nominated | [14] |
| 2013 | White Rabbit: The Very Best of | Highest Selling Album the Year | Won | |
| 2020 | Peter Posa | New Zealand Music Hall of Fame | inductee | [15] |
References
edit- ^ a b Screen, NZ On. "Sunday - Peter Posa | Television | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- ^ steve.braunias@nzherald.co.nz @SteveBraunias, Steve Braunias Senior Writer, NZ Herald (18 May 2018). "Steve Braunias on Peter Posa: The best and loneliest guitar player there ever was". ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Braunias, Steve (18 May 2018). "Steve Braunias on Peter Posa: the best and loneliest guitar player there ever was". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "Tributes flow after death of Kiwi guitar 'icon' Peter Posa". 4 February 2019. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2008". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ "Only the lonely". Otago Daily Times. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "Peter Posa". www.sergent.com.au. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ McConnell, Glenn (4 February 2019). "'The end of an era': legendary NZ guitarist Peter Posa dies, aged 77". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ "50 years on, Peter Posa's still on top". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "Guitar hero: The resurrection of Peter Posa". 20 August 2012. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "The musical career of Peter Posa". Radio New Zealand. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "Peter Posa & His Golden Guitar* – The White Rabbit And Other Tunes For Playboys - LP *USED*". MINT MUSIC - NZ. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Peter Posa NZ Charts". charts.nz. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ "Aotearoa Music Awards". aotearoamusicawards.nz. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ "HOME INDUCTEES". www.musichall.co.nz. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
External links
edit- Peter Posa biography at AudioCulture
- Pictures and biography
- EMI Catalogue biography[permanent dead link]
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