Peter Cape

Peter Irwin Cape (19 January 1926 – 30 May 1979) was a singer and song writer born in Helensville, New Zealand. He is best remembered for his songs "Taumarunui On The Main Trunk Line", "She'll Be Right" and "Coffee Bar Blues". His music is often seen as capturing a deliberately rural and disconnected side of New Zealand that was not shown by contemporary artists (with most music in New Zealand at the time being covers or highly influenced by international trends).^[1]

He was educated by Correspondence School, and in the 1940s he went on to study BA in English, philosophy and psychology at Auckland University where he was the Craccum editor for part of 1948, and then 1949. Subsequently he worked as a freelance journalist.

In 1952 he married Barbara Henderson.

After completing theological studies at Selwyn College in the 1950s, he was ordained as an Anglican priest, and was talks producer for the New Zealand Broadcasting Service

His first songs were recorded in 1958.

In 1963 he was promoted to director of religious and arts programs at the New Zealand Broadcasting Service.

In the 1960s Peter was Director of Volunteer Service Abroad.

Discography

• All Black Jerseys
• Black Matai
• Bullocky
• Charlie's Bash
• Coffee-Bar Blues
• Down the Hall on Saturday Night
• Feet Fish
• Fetch 'Em On
• Gumdigger
• I Don't Want To Be a Kiwi
• Inter-Island steamer Express
• May, The Drover's Daughter
• Nativity (New Zealand Christmas)
• Okaihau Express
• Old Joe Becher and Young Joe Bayer
• Poor Unfortunate Boy
• Pussycat
• Rainbird
• Scotty The Roadman
• She'll Be Right
• She's A Great Little Town
• Spell-Oh!
• Talking Dog
• Taumarunui On The Main Trunk Line
• Taumata . . .
• The Monde Marie
• The Stable Lad
• The Swagger
• Tramcar
• You Can't Win

References

• http://folksong.org.nz/petrcape.html, https://www.admitdesk.com/