Phil Garland

Phil's music career started at school when he made the finals of a talent quest. He then played regularly in a Christchurch Rock 'n' Roll band "The Saints”, which had such greats as Pat Neho Neho, Brian Ringrose and singer Diane Jacobs (later to be famous as Dinah Lee).

When the Saints finished, Phil formed his own group "The Playboys."  Max Merritt invited them to go to Auckland and play at the venue where Max had a residency while he went on an extended tour with his band the Meteors in 1962.  While he was in Auckland, Phil recorded "Little Band Of Gold" which went to number one on the Coca Cola Hit Parade later that same year.
 


When he returned to Christchurch in 1964 Phil began to develop an interest in folk music. He traveled to Britain and Europe performing the few Kiwi songs he knew at the time. On returning to New Zealand Phil founded the Christchurch Folk Centre which he ran for 8 years. He also founded the Christchurch Folk Music Club and is one of only three life members.

Phil Garland has performed extensively throughout New Zealand and Australia. In 1971 Rotary International recognized his influence on this genre and presented him with an award for his contribution to New Zealand entertainment. Two of Phil's songs were selected to represent New Zealand in The United Nations Songbook.

Radio New Zealand commissioned him to write a musical documentary for national broadcast during 1977. This programme, Landfall New Zealand, was selected from 60 international entries as the winner of  the prestigious Hoso Bunka Award in Japan. In 1981 Phil Garland appeared on the American TV show "Our Amazing World" singing traditional and original New Zealand songs to an estimated audience of 60 million viewers.

Further plaudits and awards were to follow when his album "Springtime In The Mountains" won the inaugural Folk Album of the Year at the New Zealand Music Awards in 1984. Phil's musical contribution to the peace album "Send The Boats Away" two years later, helped it achieve a similar status in 1986. After his relocation to Australia in 1987, two further albums "Hunger In The Air" in 1987 and "Wind In The Tussock" in 1989 also reached finals selection in the New Zealand Music Awards.

 Phil Garland is one of New Zealand's true musical treasures, a respected folklorist and musical balladeer who has recorded 18 albums. For over 30 years his mission has been to gather and preserve for posterity the stories and songs of New Zealand.