Bobby Holcomb: Difference between revisions
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'''Bobby Holcomb''' was a professional musician and painter who wrote popular polynesian tunes. |
'''Bobby Holcomb''' was a professional musician and painter who wrote popular polynesian tunes. |
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Bobby Holcomb was born in 1947 in Hawaii, the son of an African-American from Georgia, and a Hawaiian-Portuguese mother. |
Bobby Holcomb was born in 1947 in Honolulu Hawaii, the son of an African-American from Georgia, and a Hawaiian-Portuguese mother. |
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In the early 1970s, he travelled extensively through Asia, Europe and the Americas. In France, he performed with French pop groups such as Zig Zag Community and Johane of Arch, and he collaborated with French artists Sylvain Duplant, Jean-Pierre Auffredo, and Éric Estève. |
In the early 1970s, he travelled extensively through Asia, Europe and the Americas. In France, he performed with French pop groups such as Zig Zag Community and Johane of Arch, and he collaborated with French artists Sylvain Duplant, Jean-Pierre Auffredo, and Éric Estève. |
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Revision as of 23:19, 30 March 2008
Bobby Holcomb was a professional musician and painter who wrote popular polynesian tunes.
Bobby Holcomb was born in 1947 in Honolulu Hawaii, the son of an African-American from Georgia, and a Hawaiian-Portuguese mother.
In the early 1970s, he travelled extensively through Asia, Europe and the Americas. In France, he performed with French pop groups such as Zig Zag Community and Johane of Arch, and he collaborated with French artists Sylvain Duplant, Jean-Pierre Auffredo, and Éric Estève.
He moved to Tahiti in 1976, and settled in the town of Huahine and learned the Tahitian language. He began composing songs in the polynesian language, and combined traditional Polynesian melodies with reggae and popular rhythms. He became known to audiences simply as "Bobby". Most of his songs were written in Polynesian, but he also used French and English for some lyrics. His most popular song in Tahiti was "Orio", produced 1985.
In addition to music, he was also a painter and painted many murals and paintings.
He was passionate about Tahitian culture, and taught local children their cultural heritage. He campaigned against nuclear testing. For his educational efforts, he was named French Polynesia’s Personality of the Year in 1988.
He died from cancer on February 15, 1991. Local Tahitian television stations treated his death as a matter of great national importance.
Collaboration with Jimmy Buffett
Holcomb's most famous tune in America is "One Particular Harbor", which he co-wrote with Jimmy Buffet in 1983 and appears on Buffett's "Live in Anguilla" album.
Paintings
The book "Varua Tupu" (2006) contains several of Holcomb's paintings.
One of Holcomb's most popular paintings is "The Kites of Mata’Irea" depicting native polynesians flying kites.
Discography
Holcomb never signed with a major label, and his early music was mostly produced on casettes. He did produce 1 or 2 CDs, but they are extremely rare.