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Peter Posa

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Peter Posa
Posa in the 1960s
Posa in the 1960s
Background information
Birth namePeter Paul Posa
Born(1941-08-08)8 August 1941
West Auckland, New Zealand
Died3 February 2019(2019-02-03) (aged 77)
Hamilton, New Zealand
OccupationEntertainer
Years active1961–2019

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]

Career

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Posa 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

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums
Title Details
String Along With Peter
  • Released: 1961
  • Label: Zodiac (ZLP 1012)
  • Format: LP
Tiki Tunes
The White Rabbit and Other Tunes for Playboys
Tiki Tunes
  • Released: 1963
  • Label: Viking Records (VP120)
  • Format: LP
Mad Hatter
  • Released: 1964
  • Label: Viking Records (VP125)
  • Format: LP
The Hitch-Hiker
(with His Golden Guitar)
  • Released: 1964
  • Label: Viking Records (VP131)
  • Format: LP
Flying High
(with His Golden Guitar)
  • Released: 1964
  • Label: Viking Records (VP136)
  • Format: LP
The Sound Of Peter Posa
(with His Golden Guitar)
  • Released: 1965
  • Label: Viking Records (VP147)
  • Format: LP
Beat Guitar
(with His Golden Guitar)
  • Released: 1965
  • Label: Viking Records (VP159)
  • Format: LP
This Is Peter Posa
  • Released: 1965
  • Label: Viking Records (VP167)
  • Format: LP
The Posa Scottish & Irish Album
(with The Thistlemen)
  • Released: 1965
  • Label: Viking Records (VP185)
  • Format: LP
Guitar Sounds
  • Released: 1965
  • Label: Viking Records (VP192)
  • Format: LP
My Kind of Pickin
  • Released: 1966
  • Label: Viking Records (VP215)
  • Format: LP
Internationally Yours
  • Released: 1967
  • Label: Zodiac (ZLP 1030)
  • Format: LP
Guitar Pops
  • Released: 1970
  • Label: Salem (XPS 5064)
  • Format: LP
South Seas Guitars
(with Bill Wolfgramme and His Islanders and Trevor Edmondson)
  • Released: 1970
  • Label: Salem (XPS 5064)
  • Format: LP

Live albums

[edit]
List of live albums
Title Details
On Stage with Lou & Simon & Peter Posa
(with Lou & Simon)
  • Released: 1964
  • Label: Viking Records (Viking VP138)
  • Format: LP

Extended plays

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List of extended plays
Title Details
Peter Posa Hits
(with His Golden Guitar)
  • Released: 1963
  • Label: Viking Records (VE 134)
  • Format: LP
More Peter Posa Hits
(with His Golden Guitar)
  • Released: 1964
  • Label: Viking Records (VE 136)
  • Format: LP
Posa Plays Guitar Boogie
(with His Golden Guitar)
  • Released: 1964
  • Label: Viking Records (VE 152)
  • Format: LP
Posa Plays Westerns
(with His Golden Guitar)
  • Released: 1964
  • Label: Viking Records (VE 153)
  • Format: LP
Peter Posa Goes Gonk
  • Released: 1965
  • Label: Viking Records (VE 165)
  • Format: LP
Maori Melodies On Guitar
  • Released: 1965
  • Label: Viking Records (VE 168)
  • Format: LP
Do You Want to Dance?
  • Released: 1965
  • Label: Viking Records (VE 172)
  • Format: LP
Gizmo
  • Released: 1965
  • Label: Viking Records (VE 203)
  • Format: LP
Positively Posa
  • Released: 1965
  • Label: Viking Records (VE 217)
  • Format: LP

Charting compilation albums

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List of charting compilation albums, with New Zealand chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart
positions
NZ
[13]
The Best of Peter Posa
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: BMG New Zealand (74321 508642)
  • Format: CD
37
My Pick
  • Released: November 2003
  • Label: BMG New Zealand (82876577902)
  • Format: 2x CD
44
White Rabbit: The Very Best Of
  • Released: July 2012
  • Label: Sony Music (88725430342)
  • Format: CD, DD
1
Golden Guitar: The Peter Posa Anthology
  • Released: 2013
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Format: CD, DD
9
Plays The Hits of the British Invasion
  • Released: June 2016
  • Label: Sony Music (88985337532)
  • Format: CD, DD
10

Awards

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In 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

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The 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

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  1. ^ a b Screen, NZ On. "Sunday - Peter Posa | Television | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  2. ^ 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)
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "Tributes flow after death of Kiwi guitar 'icon' Peter Posa". 4 February 2019. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2008". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Only the lonely". Otago Daily Times. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Peter Posa". www.sergent.com.au. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "50 years on, Peter Posa's still on top". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  10. ^ "Guitar hero: The resurrection of Peter Posa". 20 August 2012. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  11. ^ "The musical career of Peter Posa". Radio New Zealand. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  12. ^ "Peter Posa & His Golden Guitar* – The White Rabbit And Other Tunes For Playboys - LP *USED*". MINT MUSIC - NZ. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Peter Posa NZ Charts". charts.nz. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Aotearoa Music Awards". aotearoamusicawards.nz. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  15. ^ "HOME INDUCTEES". www.musichall.co.nz. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
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