Dion Murphy (born 30 October 1940) is a New Zealand former professional boxer who went on to manage hotels and perform as a musical entertainer with his wife Cecile. They created the ROCKONZ Hall of Fame in 2007 and an accompanying Annual Rock 'n' Roll Musical Festival celebrating the top musicians and performers of New Zealand in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. This festival also included Rock 'n' Roll dancing and parades and displays of classic cars from the same period. Dion and Cecile received the Key to the City of Christchurch in 2007 from the Mayor Garry Moore for their services to music in Christchurch. He and his wife produce the ROCKONZ programme and Concerts.
As a boxer, Dion won the New Zealand Boxing Association's Lightweight title by knocking out Jimmy Cassidy in eleven rounds on 10 October 1963. Murphy also has a victory over Johnny Famechon of Australia. He retired with an undefeated record of 17–0, 9 wins by knockout, [1] and proceeded to pursue a musical producing career.
Murphy developed eye problems that caused him to retire at age 26. He then became a musical producer, he and his wife organising RockOnz annual musical festivals in Christchurch. These festivals lasted until 2011. [2]
The music of New Zealand has been influenced by a number of traditions, including Māori music, the music introduced by European settlers during the nineteenth century, and a variety of styles imported during the twentieth century, including blues, jazz, country, rock and roll, reggae, and hip hop, with many of these genres given a unique New Zealand interpretation.
Dion Francis DiMucci, better known mononymously as Dion, is an American singer and songwriter whose music has incorporated elements of doo-wop, rock, R&B and blues. Initially as lead singer of Dion and the Belmonts, and then in his solo career, he was one of the most popular American rock and roll performers of the pre-British Invasion era. He had 39 Top 40 hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a solo performer, with the Belmonts or with the Del-Satins. He is best remembered for the singles "Runaround Sue", "The Wanderer", "Ruby Baby" and "Lovers Who Wander", among other hits.
Thomas Heeney was a professional heavyweight boxer from New Zealand, best known for unsuccessfully challenging champion Gene Tunney for the heavyweight championship of the world in New York City on 26 July 1928.
Lionel Edmund Rose MBE was an Australian bantamweight boxer, the first Indigenous Australian to win a world title. He later became the first Indigenous Australian to be named Australian of the Year.
David Walter Foster OC OBC is a Canadian musician, composer, arranger, record producer and music executive who chaired Verve Records from 2012 to 2016. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations.
The Dunedin sound was a style of indie pop music created in the southern New Zealand university city of Dunedin in the early 1980s.
Rock music in New Zealand, also known as Kiwi rock music and New Zealand rock music, began in 1955 with Johnny Cooper's cover version of Bill Haley's hit song "Rock Around the Clock". This was followed by Johnny Devlin, New Zealand's Elvis Presley, and his cover of "Lawdy Miss Clawdy". The 1960s saw Max Merritt and the Meteors and Ray Columbus & the Invaders achieve success. In the 1970s and early 1980s the innovative Split Enz had success internationally as well as nationally, with member Neil Finn later continuing with Crowded House. Other influential bands in the 1970s were Th' Dudes, Dragon and Hello Sailor. The early 1980s saw the development of the indie rock "Dunedin sound", typified by Dunedin bands such as The Clean, Straitjacket Fits and The Chills, recorded by the Flying Nun record label of Christchurch. New Zealand's foremost hard rock band Shihad started their long career in 1988.
Maxwell James Merritt was a New Zealand-born singer-songwriter and guitarist who was renowned as an interpreter of soul music and R&B. As leader of Max Merritt & The Meteors, his best known hits are "Slippin' Away", which reached No. 2 on the 1976 Australian singles charts, and "Hey, Western Union Man" which reached No. 13. Merritt rose to prominence in New Zealand from 1958 and relocated to Sydney, Australia, in December 1964. Merritt was acknowledged as one of the best local performers of the 1960s and 1970s and his influence did much to popularise soul music / R&B and rock in New Zealand and Australia.
Kevin Michael Joseph Barry is a New Zealand former boxer, boxing trainer, manager and occasional commentator. He is the son of noted boxing trainer Kevin Barry Sr.
Rhys Montague Darby is a New Zealand actor and comedian, known for his energetic physical comedy routines, telling stories accompanied with mime and sound effects of things such as machinery and animals. He was nominated for the Billy T Award in 2001 and 2002. He also won the 2012 Fred (Dagg) award at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, for best NZ show.
Ti'a James Senio Peau, known professionally as Jimmy Thunder, was a Samoan-born New Zealand professional boxer who held the IBO heavyweight title from 1994 to 1995. He held multiple regional heavyweight titles, including the OPBF title from 1989 to 1991 and the Australian title twice between 1992 and 1994.
Doug "Vicious" Viney is a New Zealand heavyweight boxer and kickboxer. He is the K-1 World GP 2007 in Las Vegas champion, who also represented Tonga as a super heavyweight boxer under the name of Ma'afu Hawke at 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Soulan James Pownceby is a New Zealand boxer who was described by TVNZ in 2004 as one of New Zealand's most exciting talents since David Tua. He is also notable for convictions for assault and manslaughter.
Brian Kendall was a New Zealand boxer.
Kevin Michael Barry Sr. was a New Zealand boxing coach.
Joanne May Giles was a New Zealand television presenter and former representative sportswoman. She represented the country in pistol shooting at the 1997 Oceanian Championships in Adelaide, and the 2000 World Cup in Sydney. She was the first Kiwi woman to ride in a totaliser race in New Zealand, on 15 July 1978 at Waimate, and also competed in motorsport and Rock 'n Roll competitions.
Michael (Mickey) Abrams is a former English amateur and Commonwealth Games light-flyweight boxer.
Robbie Klay is a South African singer, songwriter, television and theatre stage actor. He sings in Afrikaans and English in the pop, rock and country genres.
Reece Papuni is a professional light heavyweight boxer.
New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA) is one of the four governing bodies for the sport of professional boxing in New Zealand. NZPBA is a non-profit organisation.