155:. 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.
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with Bill
Wolfgramm and His Rhythm on the Tanza label. A big draw card on the live music scene, he was also a major recording star in New Zealand during the 1950s. During the 1950s when the transition from 78 rpm records to 33 rpm records was taking place, Bill Wolfgramm & His Islanders recorded
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The Bill
Wolfgramm Group ā Shining Waters (Vocal by Millie Bradfield) / My Lovin' Boy (vocal by The Litia Daveta Group) ā HMV HR 138 ā 1960
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Daphne Walker & Bill
Wolfgramm's Hawaiians ā Polynesian Love Song / Hawaiian War Chant ā Zodiac Z-1005, 1957
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Daphne Walker ā Gay
Hawaiian Party / Bill Wolfgramm ā Hawaiian War Chant ā Zodiac Z-1066, 1961
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Hagar
Sisters & Bill Wolgramm's Hawaiians ā Manu Rere Ai Ai / Malie ā Zodiac Z-1002, 1957
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at
Auckland's Astor Recording Studios. This album took four months to record and it featured
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255:(Wriggle Wiggle) / South Sea Rose (with Daphne Walker) ā TANZA ZF 279 ā 1956
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He was also the uncle of the
Wolfgramm family in the USA who formed the band
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and popular
Hawaiian music. He was born in the island kingdom of
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and was also of German descent. He is the former leader of
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Guitar Sounds of the South
Pacific, SPVP 113 (1973) (LP)
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His first recording was Fijian
Holiday and released as
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258:Vana Vana / Lonely Hula Girl ā TANZA ZF 283 ā 1956
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261:Lonely Kiwi / Maori Style ā TANZA ZF 293 ā 1956
174:He died twelve days before his 78th birthday.
376:"Exhibitions Maori Showbands, Bill Wolfgramm"
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197:he was a recording star on the New Zealand
466:Bill Wolfgramm on iTune with Daphne Walker
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305:"The history of recording in New Zealand"
181:and steel guitarist and recording artist
115:(7 October 1925 ā 25 September 2003) aka
404:The History of recording in New Zealand
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380:Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
364:Bill Wolfgramm page on Audiocaulture NZ
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249:/ Maori Love Song ā TANZA ZF 255 ā 1955
281:Sounds of Hawaii, SPVP 122 (1973) (LP)
336:"Orange hall still laden with appeal"
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471:Bill Wolfgramm page on Audio Culture
119:was a musician specialising in lap
129:Bill Wolfgramm & His Islanders
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334:Taylor, Colin (23 January 2010).
506:Tongan people of German descent
501:Tongan emigrants to New Zealand
309:National Library of New Zealand
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441:The Tanza Singles Discography
135:that played regularly at the
456:Bill Wolfgramm Greatest Hits
139:, a historic dance venue in
131:, a popular island band in
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439:Singles in My Collection
193:Along with fellow Tongan
476:Bill Wolfgramm discussed
526:20th-century guitarists
247:Let Me Hear You Whisper
511:Viking Records artists
496:New Zealand musicians
461:Bill Wolfgramm on RYM
205:Selected discography
411:25 May 2010 at the
340:New Zealand Herald
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56:25 September 2003
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516:Steel guitarists
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382:. Archived from
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311:. Archived from
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165:South Sea Rhythm
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151:He was born in
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137:Orange Ballroom
117:Bill Wolfgramme
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103:, Tanza, Zodiac
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386:on 24 May 2010
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362:Audio Culture
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315:on 25 May 2010
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199:Viking Records
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183:Nani Wolfgramm
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113:Bill Wolfgramm
109:Musical artist
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69:Pacific island
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60:(aged 77)
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38:7 October 1925
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406:3. The 1950s
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313:the original
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160:Mavis Rivers
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121:steel guitar
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88:Years active
58:(2003-09-25)
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521:1925 births
491:2003 deaths
429:Zodiac 45's
253:Minoi Minoi
195:Bill Sevesi
133:New Zealand
92:1950sā1990s
485:Categories
286:References
147:Background
79:Occupation
34:1925-10-07
409:Archived
179:The Jets
141:Auckland
82:Musician
73:Hawaiian
390:20 July
345:20 July
319:20 July
201:label.
223:45 RPM
210:78 RPM
153:Vava'u
101:Viking
97:Labels
65:Genres
43:Origin
241:45RPM
125:Tonga
47:Tonga
392:2010
347:2010
321:2010
53:Died
28:Born
273:LPs
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