Between music practice, singing commitments and regular performances in a ukulele duo, Nelson singer-songwriter June Savage is busier now than before she retired!
“There’s never a day I’m not doing something musical… I don’t know how I ever had time for a full-time job!” she confesses.
The flame-haired live wire has a long-standing history in the music industry and it’s her unique take on life that saw her take the title of the Weekly‘s Grooviest Granny in a recent competition.
June (66) was introduced to music through the piano accordion – a present from her father, who had acquired it in part-exchange for his boat. Gifted with an ear for rhythm, the 10-year-old began playing the ukulele and guitar, picking up chords as she went along.
“My parents weren’t musical – my father thought he could sing, but I’m not sure he could!” she says with a laugh.
In her early twenties, she was one half of the singing duo Jay ‘n’ Bee, who won TV One’s New Faces in 1971. They toured with British singer-songwriter Roger Whittaker throughout New Zealand and even released several records. June was also a full-time intermediate teacher, and brought her passion into the classroom.
“I found it was great for children who struggled with reading, writing and maths,” she recalls. “You put a ukulele in their hand and show them what to do and suddenly they can do what others can’t. It was a great way to get them feeling good about themselves.”
June Savage with quartet RingTime.
She put her passion on hold for 10 years to focus on raising her children, Rochelle and Scott. June then returned to teaching on and off for another 40 years before retiring in 2007.
“I wanted to see my grandchildren grow up. Life wasn’t giving me that,” says June, who is grandmother to Harvey (9), Eli (7), Cairo (4) and Zane (2). “But I missed singing so joined a Sweet Adelines group and quartets in the area.”
She met fellow singer and ukulele player Jan, and the pair formed Uke ‘n’ Duet (pronounced “you can do it”). With a focus on songs about growing older, the pair have been an instant hit with their audiences.
“No-one really writes songs for older people,” June explains. “We perform at rest homes and the residents just love us.”
June even wrote a song a year ago about featuring on the cover of the Weekly, called Cover Girl Song – and can’t believe she’s made it into her beloved magazine.
“Jan and I make a big thing of it in our performance, holding up the magazine and saying, ‘One of these days… we’ll be in here!'” she laughs.
June’s dream is to put her toe-tapping Uke ‘n’ Duet songs into book and CD form, and tour around the country.
With a busy schedule, June says she’s grateful for the support of her husband of 43 years. “Lee’s really proud of me,” she says. “Sometimes in the middle of the night I’ll be lying there and think, ‘Oh, I’ve got a verse to that song!’ and quickly turn on the light to jot it down. I’m lucky he’s so supportive!”
