Ben Tawhiti

[Mac McKenzie]

Ben was one of our finest guitarists, a genuine quiet man with an incredible ear for music. His beginnings were very humble. Born and raised on Matakana Island, a few miles off the coast of Tauranga, plenty of fish, fields of corn, orchards of many fruits, but no work and no education. This had to be found on the mainland. But there was also plenty of music. During the war, they used to run dances as fund raisers to provide comforts for the boys overseas. They ran a ferry service from the mainland and the people would enjoy the dance and entertainmen, a hangi feast and be taken back home. Although Ben was too young to play for these, he soaked up the music like blotting paper. Later, he did form his own group and played at many venues in the area.
Ben came to Auckland in the early 60s to try his luck, formed a group and by 1966 the Ben Tawhiti Quartet was a well known top band, playing at regular dances and other gigs all over Auckland. In 1967, the government changed the hotel closing hours from 6 o'clock to 10 o'clock which then allowed the hotels to provide entertainment. On the afternoon of the first Saturday of the new hours, Ben auditioned at the Milford Marina Hotel, was engaged to play that night and they were there for four years. In 1968, Ben added a saxophone and they became the Mariners Showband, backing top visiting artists. Ben's harmonising with the saxophone had to be heard to be believed and gave the band a new sound and a distinct advantage over other groups. Even for all of this, Ben always played some numbers on his steel guitar. He only ever had two guitars, his locally produced Commodore 8 string steel guitar and his Gibson Les Paul. Ben played at a Hawaiian Steel Guitar Convention, met Jerry Byrd and when Jerry came here, some years later, for them it was " Hi again "
In 1999, the NZ. Herald newspaper had Ben as No. 1 of " My Top Ten Guitarists " The article continued " Why did I pick Ben Tawhiti? At the one minute mark of the recording of Haka Boogie by Morgan Clive with Benny's Five, Ben starts a steel guitar solo, which, by some mystery of the cosmos, pulled together Hawaiian style and Chet Atkins country. If this had caught on internationally, Ben might have been a bigger influence on George Harrison from the Beatles that Chet Atkins was. "
In recent years, Ben conducted a radio request session and would play the songs on his steel guitar with a rhythm guitar backing. There was not room in the studio for any more. His knowledge of Hawaiian, country, standards and evergreens and his incredible playing ability stood him in good stead and he never refused a request. He was also President of the NZ. Hawaiian Steel Guitar Assn. for three years.
Today, they took Ben to a little island nestled in a Matakana bay. Yes, Ben has gone home.

[bruce fischer]

what can you say after this intro?
play on in the heavenly band ben.
bruce & lynn

[George Keoki Lake]

MAC has described Ben far better than I could ever do...Thanks Mac ! When I was a guest "artist" at the NZHSGA a number of years ago, being a stranger from Canada I was naturally somewhat apprehensive about the backup musicians I'd encounter on stage. Upon meeting and playing with Ben, all concerns dissipated immediately!

Ben was a musicians-musician who had a fantastic "ear" and readily played awesome harmony to my program of Hawaiian songs with no previous rehearsal. In turn, I had the unique opportunity to play r/guitar to his steel...what a wonderful experience !

As Mac mentioned, Ben owned an ORIGINAL (slightly beat-up) black LES PAUL guitar which most guys would die to own today...it's become a rare breed. Reading notes was a bit foreign to Ben...I think he figured notes looked like chicken tracks! He had a fabulous ear and could play most any song or backup. Ben's loss is sad for New Zealand and indeed for the many who were privileged to perform with him. I consider myself to be amongst the fortunate.

RIP Ben, you will be sadly missed.