Rudi Wairata

Wairati was born on Ternate, North Moluccas, Dutch East Indies, as 'Diederich Gijsbrecht Christo Wairati, son of Andries Egbert Wairata and Antoinetta Cornelia Meulenaar, on 25 December 1929[1] (or 1930 or 1932).[6] He learned to play steel guitar by listening to Sol Ho'opi'i and Andy Iona records. His family moved to Yogyakarta, Java, when he was 11 years of age. There he worked to improve his steel guitar skills while studying, amongst others from George de Fretes.[1] In 1949, his vocal group, a quartet called the Raindrops, along with the Jos Cleber Orchestra were broadcast on Radio Batavia.[7] In 1950, he obtained a music scholarship for the Royal Conservatory of The Hague and went to the Netherlands.[1]

In 1951, Wairata founded the group the Mena Moeria Minstrels in The Hague.[8] This group featured Joyce Aubrey and Ming Luhulima.[9] Having been successful with the Mena Moeria Minstrels, he started the Amboina Serenaders. This group had the same lineup as his previous group, with the addition of a vibraphone-player.[10] In 1957, RCA released "Rock and Roll and Breezes" backed with "Mahalani Papado," credited to Rudi Wairata & His Hawaiian Minstrels.[11][12] In 1958 Wairata joined the Kilima Hawaiians group. They recorded "Whistling Guitar," which featured Wairata making bird sound effects with his steel guitar.[13] Wairata's Ambonese background was an influence on the sound of the band.[14] The Kilima Hawaiians toured American service bases, after which Wairata remained in Germany.[15] He was replaced by Coy Pereira.[16]

He worked in Germany for 13 or 14 years, during which he performed as a solo artist and sometimes with his wife.[15] From 1961 to 1963, he recorded with Das Moana Quartett, a group that featured Ron Wattimena, also known as Ronnie Watti, who in the 1970s would record under the name of Peter Waaldrecht. The group had a single and three EPs released in 1961 mostly for the Ariola label. Their last single was "Kaiwahu-Marsch," whose B-side was "On the beach of Waikiki," in 1963.[17] During his time in Germany he recorded three albums.

He returned to the Netherlands in 1974, when he formed a recording group called The New Polynesians. Their debut album was issued on the Delta Records label.[15]

In 1976, his album The Suara Nusantara was released on the EMI-Bovema label.[18]

Rudi Wairata died in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in 1981.[19]

Singles

• Rudy Wairata - "Tia Tato E Tamoure" / "Schöne Südsee Orchidee" - CNR F 388 - (1965)[20]

Albums

• Rudi Wairata - Rudi Wairata presents with love from the Islands "The Suara Nusantara" - EMI-Bovema Holland – 5C 050-25415 - (1976)
• Rudi Wairata/Roy Moana - Good Old Hawaii - GIP GL 55.068, DURECO GL 55.068 - (1978)[21]

• Rudi Wairata & His Mena Moeria Minstrels – Beautiful Hawaii - Dureco 51.002 - (1962)
  (Note: The cover says Rudi Wairata & His Mena Moeria Minstrels but label says Muing Luhulima un The Mena Moeria Minstrels)
• Rudi Wairata & His Mena Moeria Minstrels – Waikiki Welcome - Dureco 51.055 - (19??)
• Rudi Wairata & His Mena Moeria Minstrels – With Love From....Rudi Wairata & His Mena Moeria Minstrels - Capri – CA 32-G - (1972)
• Rudi Wairata & His Mena Moeria Minstrels – Love And Music From ... Hawaii - Capri CA 161 - (Circa 1974)
• Rudi Wairata & His Mena Moeria Minstrels – Lovely Hula Girl, Sweet Sweet Steel Guitar Series No. 3 - Maple MA-1003 - (1974)

• Nederlandse vinylsingles - Rudi Wairata