:Graeme Nesbitt
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Graeme Nesbitt
|image =
|caption = save some bubbles for me
|birth_date = {{birth date|1950|11|27|df=y}}
|birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand
|death_date = {{death date and age|2000|05|14|1950|11|27|df=y}}
|death_place = Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
|birth_name = Graeme John Nesbitt
|occupation = Music, arts & radio promoter, academic
|years_active = 1960s – 2000}}
Graeme John Nesbitt (27 November 1950 – 14 May 2000) was a music, arts and radio promoter from New Zealand. He was involved in the development and founding of cultural events in New Zealand including the New Zealand Festival of the Arts, Summer City in Wellington and the New Zealand Music Awards.
Biography
Nesbitt grew up in Kohukohu, New Zealand. His father was postmaster.{{Cite web |title=Graeme Nesbitt |url=https://www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/graeme-nesbitt |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=AudioCulture |language=en-NZ}} They moved to Wellington in 1965, Nesbitt went to Upper Hutt College and was a senior in 1967.{{Cite web |title=Upper Hutt College 1967; form 6A |url=https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/23124 |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=Upper Hutt City Library}} They lived in part of the old Trentham Military Camp and Nesbitt had a large room where he could practice and play music 'without disturbing anyone'. At school he met musicians Ray Mercer, Alastair Richardson (later in The Fourmyula). He also formed a duo with Krissy Klocek called Los Pescadores and they performed Wellington coffee houses, (e.g. Chez Paree, Monde Marie).{{Cite web |url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22540739 |title= Klocek, Krissy, active 1990s |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=natlib.govt.nz}}
Nesbitt made an immense contribution to the New Zealand music industry. He was instrumental in starting and furthering the careers of such well known New Zealand entertainers as Jenny Morris, Dragon and the magician Tim Woon.published The Evening Post, Thursday 25 May 2000
Nesbitt was responsible for the development of the New Zealand Festival of the Arts (Student Arts Council),{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}} Summer City (after Rohesia Hamilton Metcalf),{{Cite journal |last=Bryant |first=Rod |date=1980 |title=City of Wellington Summer '79 |journal=Action |publisher=Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council of New Zealand, Wellington, N.Z. |issn=0111-3720 |issue=12 |pages=15–18}} New Zealand Music Awards, New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}
In 1970 Nesbitt was part of setting up an arts festival in Wellington, and he was the Cultural Affairs Officer at Victoria University of Wellington.{{Cite journal |date=1970-07-08 |title=Marijuana Seminar at Vic |url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/etexts/Salient33101970/Salient33101970_006.gif |journal=Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. |volume=33 |issue=10 |pages=9}}
I need students to answer phones, sell advertising, build bridges, dance naked, arrange deals and have a great time. Arts Festival and I need you. (Graeme Nesbitt, listing in Victoria University of Wellington student magazine Salient, 1970)In 1972 Nesbitt was appointed as the first Director of the New Zealand Students Arts Council.{{cite web |title=New Zealand Students' Arts Council archives 1941-1992 |url=http://library.vuw.ac.nz/jcbr/findingaids/description.php?p=nzsac |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526220404/http://library.vuw.ac.nz/jcbr/findingaids/description.php?p=nzsac |archive-date=26 May 2010 |quote=The major step occurred in 1972 when Student Teacher Organisations took a greater role in the decision making of the Council, and accordingly the name was changed to the New Zealand Students Arts Council. In 1972 a part-time director, Graeme Nesbitt, was appointed...}} In the same year he took a management role with the New Zealand band Mammal and they released the album Beware the Man (1972) with poet Sam Hunt.{{cite web |title=Mammal |url=https://www.sergent.com.au/music/mammal.html |website=www.sergent.com.au |access-date=27 December 2024 |quote=He has befriended Backhouse and he introduced Sam to the other members of Mammal. The result of this meeting led to a series of varsity concerts featuring Mammal with Sam Hunt as guest. Initially Sam would read poems between sets, but this evolved into concerts with poetry with musical accompaniment. These concerts were so successful that the concept was captured on record and an album was released before the end of 1972. The album was called "Beware The Man" and released as Sam Hunt and Mammal. Also an EP came out called "Sandshoe Shuffle (Selections From Beware The Man)}}
In February 1974 Nesbitt became the manager of the band Dragon and they released their acclaimed album Universal Radio (1974).{{cite web |title=The Chuck Miller Creative Writing Service: Marc Hunter and Dragon |url=http://www.chuckthewriter.com/dragon.html |website=www.chuckthewriter.com |access-date=27 December 2024 |quote=In February 1974, after winning the Auckland Festival's all-day Rock Marathon, Dragon acquired a manager, Graeme Nesbitt, and signed with Vertigo Records. "We recorded our first album, Universal Radio (Vertigo 6360902 [N.Z.])," said Todd Hunter}}
Over the 1980s, Nesbitt was hired as the promo manager at Radio Windy and also did a stint at 2ZB Wellington. In the early 1990s, he was back in the radio game with working as ZMFM / 91ZM Wellington as the Promotions Manager.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}
Later life and death
References
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