Annie Crummer | |
|---|---|
 Crummer at Bar Bodega,Wellington, 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Anne Crummer |
| Born | 1966 (age 58–59) |
| Origin | New Zealand |
| Genres | Pop |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Website | www |
Anne CrummerMNZM (born 1966) is a New Zealand pop singer and songwriter ofCook Islands descent who has seen success in both a solo career and as part of various musical groups.
Crummer represented New Zealand at the 1987ABU Popular Song Contest with the song "It's That What Friends Are For", placing third.[1]
Crummer grew up inWest Auckland. Her father,Will Crummer, aCook Islander, was one of her strongest musical influences.[2] Her mother Tangi isTahitian. Crummer was a precocious singer, performing at Cook Island nightclubs and shopping mall talent quests.[3] At the age of 9, Will Crummer tried to interest her in piano lessons and took her to singing coachSister Mary Leo, but Crummer preferred to learn from her father.[4] She attended Avondale High School, leaving at the age of "15 years and two months" to focus on a singing career.[2][3] She appeared on the TV talent showOpportunity Knocks, won, and released her first single at the age of 16.[4]
At the age of 18 Crummer stood out as a guest vocalist in theNetherworld Dancing Toys hit song "For Today", which was Single of the Year at the 1985New Zealand Music Awards.[5] She was one of the five founders of the all-female bandWhen The Cat's Away in 1986; their cover of the 1969Blue Mink song "Melting Pot" topped the charts in New Zealand, and the band won Group of the Year in the 1989 New Zealand Music Awards.[4] Crummer has also performed withHerbs.[6] Crummer released her first solo album,Language, in 1992, and her second,Seventh Wave (co-written withBarbara Griffen) in 1996.[4]Seventh Wave was completed atPrince's studio,Paisley Park.[4]
She recorded theSplit Enz song "I Hope I Never" as part of theENZSO project in 1996.[7] In 1993 she had a role on New Zealand soap operaShortland Street and recorded a single "Keeping Up the Love Thing", which featured on the show.[2] She has performed with Australian singersJohn Farnham andJimmy Barnes, and toured Australia for a month withSting, singing on stage with him on "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot".[8] In 1996, she was chosen as the supporting act forMichael Jackson's New Zealand tour.[9]
Crummer was diagnosed withdyslexia as an adult and says she cannot read or write or read music, but she credits her dyslexia with giving her a heightened sense of musical appreciation.[4] She did one semester ofCook Islands Māori language at theUniversity of Auckland in 2000.
Part of her work in the music industry has been mentoring in song writing and performing, including in prisons and forSmokefree Rock Quest.[6] In 2014 she was a musical mentor for prisoners in theMāori TV seriesSongs from the Inside.[3]
On stage, she was a soloist in the musicalRent in Australia and New Zealand,[10] and played the Killer Queen inWe Will Rock You (WWRY) inMelbourne in 2005. The Australian production of WWRY toured throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and South Africa. Crummer reprised her role in 2019.[11] She is currently working on her third album,Project Annie C.[2][4]
Crummer was awarded Best Female Artist at theNew Zealand Music Awards in 1993, and nominated for the same category at theARIA Music Awards in Australia in 1996.[11] In 2011 Crummer was awardedSenior Pacific Artist Award at theCreative New ZealandArts Pasifika Awards.[12] In the same year she also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at thePacific Music Awards.[6]
Crummer was appointed aMember of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music in the2017 Queen's Birthday Honours.[6]
In December 2021 Crummer and the other four members of When the Cats Away were inducted into theNew Zealand Music Hall of Fame at theAotearoa Music Awards in recognition of their contributions to New Zealand music.[13]
| Date | Title | Label | Chart | Certification | Catalog Number | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ [14] | AUS [15] | |||||
| Albums | ||||||
| 1992 | Language | WEA International | 9 | — | – | 4509912062 |
| 1996 | Seventh Wave | Warner Music | 5 | 28 | – | 0630159462 |
| 2002 | Shine: The Best of Annie Crummer | Warner Music (NZ) | 23 | — | – | 0927482502 |
| Featured | ||||||
| 1996 | ENZSO (withENZSO) | Epic Records | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2001 | Live in Paradise (withWhen The Cat's Away) | EMI | 7 | — |
| 537030 |
The following albums have featured tracks by Crummer.
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ [14] | AUS [15] | ||||
| 1982 | "Once Or Twice" | 16 | — | Non-album single | |
| 1992 | See What Love Can Do" (featuringHerbs) | 3 | — | Language | |
| "Language" | 1[note 1] | ||||
| "See Forever" | — | — | |||
| 1993 | "Seven Waters" | 18 | — | ||
| "Let It Shine" | 11 | — | Non-album single | ||
| 1996 | "State of Grace" | 8 | 52 | Seventh Wave | |
| "U Soul Me" | 21 | 48 | |||
| 1997 | "I Come Alive" | — | — | ||
| 2002 | "Love Not War" | 46 | — | Non-album single | |
| 2010 | "Had It Comin'" | — | — | Non-album single | |
| 2010 | "Let It Fly" | — | — | ||
| 2010 | "Ocean Moon (1st Tide Mix)" | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ [14] | AUS [15] | |||
| 1985 | "For Today" (with theNetherworld Dancing Toys) | 3 | — | Painted Years |
| 1986 | "Ngoi Ngoi" (with thePātea Māori Club) | — | — | Poi E |
| 1988 | "Melting Pot" (withWhen the Cat's Away) | 1 | 103 | Non-album single |
| "New Zealand Expo Song:God Defend New Zealand" (as the Pātea Māori Club) | — | — | Non-album single | |
| 1989 | "Free Ride" (withWhen the Cat's Away) | 12 | — | Non-album single |
| 1993 | "Keeping Up the Love Thing" (asThe Katene Sisters) | 3 | — | Non-album single |
| 1996 | "I Hope I Never" (as part ofENZSO) | — | — | ENZSO |
| 2003 | "Another One Bites the Dust" (withQueen) | — | — | Non-album single |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||
Annie Crummer's long-term artistic achievement was honoured with the Senior Pacific Artist Award and $10,000. Starting her music career as a child-performer, Ms Crummer released her first single at age 16 and as an established solo artist, has supported some of music's biggest acts including Sir Paul McCartney, Ray Charles and Michael Jackson. Of Tahitian and Cook Island descent, Ms Crummer is a household name, with numerous music awards behind her. She has released two albums, a 'best of' CD, is working on her next album and has expanded her career to include musical theatre.
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