Music Writer Wins New Zealand Book Awards
This year's winner of the NZ Post Book of the Year award is Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918-1964.
The author, Chris Bourke, is no stranger to writing about New Zealand music.
He has been at various times the editor of Rip It Up and Real Groove, an arts editor for the NZ Listener, and has also authored a biography of Crowded House.
Not only did Bourke take out the 'Book of the Year' prize with Blue Smoke - he also won in his category and was given the People's Choice award for 2011.
In total, he received $30,000 worth of prize money.
The title of his book was taken from the first record ever entirely produced in New Zealand.
The song Blue Smoke, written by Ruru Karaitiana and sung by Pixie Williams, was released in February 1949.
- bFM News
