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Lap Guitar

On display
human history
Lap Guitar, 2017.84.1, Photographed 31 Jan 2020, All Rights… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

    Artefact

    • Display location

      Tāmaki Herenga Waka: Stories of Auckland - Our City Gallery

    • Credit Line
      Collection of Auckland Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, 2017.84.1,
    • Public Access Text

      This is the lap steel guitar of Bill Sevesi. Wilfred Jeff was born in Tonga in 1923, he was better known by his stage name Bill Sevesi. Bill moved to NZ in 1934. A gifted steel guitarist, he played in his first band, Billy Boy and the Hawaiians, as a 16 year old. Over the course of the next 60 years he would go on to record more than 50 albums and composed more than 200 songs including 'Bye Bye Baby' which topped the local charts in 1949.

      Sevesi received the Queen's services medal for his contribution to the music industry in 1995, and 3 years later was awarded the Jerry Bird Lifetime Achievements Award and inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri. Bill Sevesi and His Hawaiian Islanders had a long time residency at the renowned Orange Ballroom on Newton Rd. In 1966 Bill was the first to record three young school girls, who went on to make a name for themselves as The Yandall Sisters.

    • Primary Maker

       Mr Bill Sevesi (Maker)

    • Place
      Auckland Central/Auckland City/Auckland/New Zealand
    • Associated Place

      Tonga/Pacific

    • Technique

      handmade

    • Media/Materials

      steel/iron alloy/metal/inorganic material

      wood/plant material

      plastic/organic material

    • Measurement Reading

      840mm

      274mm

      85mm

    • Classification

      Guitar

      Instrument, Stringed

      Musical Instruments

      Musical T&E

      06 Tools & Equipment for Communication

    • Last Update
      31 Mar 2025
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