George Tait (New Zealander)
| Deane Waretini | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1946 |
| Origin | New Zealand |
| Genres | Pop, Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, business owner |
| Years active | 1970s to present |
| Labels | Tony McCarthy Recordings, CBS, Ode Records |
| Associated acts | The Rising Stars, Andrei Frolov |
Deane Waretini (born c. 1946) is a musician from New Zealand. He had a #1 chart hit in 1981 with the song "The Bridge", a Māori language song set to Nini Rosso's tune "Il Silenzio". He is also the son of a historically significant Maori baritone singer and recording artist. In later years, Waretini was featured in a New Zealand television production that was built around him.
He was born Adrian Waretini in Rotorua in 1946, the youngest son of famed Maori singer Deane Waretini, Snr.. Waretini really only found out about his father's singing when he was aged about 12. It wasn't until years later that he knew about his father having recorded on to record. To him, his father just worked as a laborer and would sing lullabies. Music wasn't really a big thing in their home in Horuhoru. By the time he was in his late teens he had moved from Rotorua to Christchurch and was working as a labourer. It was in 1967 that his father died. Young Waretini was 21 at this time. It wasn't until about two years after his father's death that he would actually get to hold one of his records in his bands.
At age 14, and having learnt a few chords on the guitar, and apparently enough to impress the opposite sex, he tried out for a band. After being made to realize that he didn't own a guitar, the option left was singing. Having learnt a few songs from the radio, he joined a local group called the Tremloes. After 18 months of rehearsing, the band got their chance to play at a venue called the Ritz. With a capability to handle 600 patrons, the Ritz was nearly empty. On their debut there, the band were taken off stage. While the other members were upset over this action, Waretini apparently philosophical about the event, was happy just to have played there. After that, Waretini was finding work and doing gigs where the opportunity arose.
By 1967, he was now the father of two children. A day short of his 21st birthday, he learnt that his father had died. He was in Christchurch at this time. After the funeral of his father, Waretini was taken under the wing of his cousin George Tait, who also happened to be a Te Arawa elder. Tait also became his manager. In 1970, Tait flew Waretini to Australia, and financed the trip himself from his war pension income . While Waretini was there, he came across Wi Wharekura who had previously been a musician with the Howard Morrison Quartet. After learning a few things about the business, Waretini came back and joined the roster of promoter Joe Brown. Waretini really began his professional career in the early 1970s. Around that time he appeared as a finalist in Studio One's New Faces Contest. Also around that time, he cut his first record "Troubles In My Life". The debut single was released on the Tony McCarthy Recordings label, a small label that previously had released a recording by Mahia Blackmore.
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