THE PIXIE WILLIAMS COLLECTION
1949 - 1951

In June 1949, Pixie Williams became a household name, giving voice to one of the most enduring popular melodies of the twentieth century - Blue Smoke.

For a delicate song, Blue Smoke carried a lot of weight, marking the real birth of New Zealand's indigenous record industry.  Written by Ruru Karaitiana in 1940, Blue Smoke was recognised as New Zealand's first pop song.  Wholly written, recorded and manufactured locally, it was commercially released on a new label dedicated To Assist New Zealand Artists (TANZA).    Selling over 50,000 records, Blue Smoke was a surprise debut hit for Pixie, Ruru and the newly established record label. Overseas it also packed a punch with various artists recording cover versions, including Dean Martin.

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Pixie recorded 13 songs in total, including another hit also composed by Ruru Karaitiana, Let's Talk It Over which sold 20,000 records.  But it was the popularity and poignancy of Blue Smoke that followed Pixie down the years outlasting the music genre's that followed.

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Blue Smoke Records is proud to have captured the story of Pixie, Ruru and the original pioneers of the New Zealand recording industry.  And equally proud to have captured and remastered the music of Pixie Williams in this historically significant collection for future generations to enjoy.

For the Record