Johnny Tahu Cooper

{{Short description|New Zealand rock and roll musician and entrepreneur}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2022}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Johnny Cooper

| birth_name = Tahu Cooper

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|07|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

| alias = The Maori Cowboy

| death_date = {{death date and age|2014|09|03|1929|07|23|df=y}}

| death_place = Naenae, New Zealand

| image = Johnny_Tahu_Cooper.jpg

| genre = Country, rock and roll

| occupation = Musician

| instrument = Vocals, guitar

| years_active = 1950–1968

| label = His Master's Voice

}}

Johnny Tahu Cooper (23 July 1929 – 3 September 2014), also known as The Maori Cowboy,{{Cite web |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/johnny-cooper-the-maori-cowboy |title=The birth of Kiwi rock 'n' roll |publisher=Ministry for Culture and Heritage |date=10 April 2014 |website=New Zealand History |access-date=21 January 2022}} was a pioneering New Zealand rock and roll musician and entrepreneur. His cover of "Rock Around the Clock", a song popularised by Bill Haley & His Comets, is considered to be the first rock and roll song recorded in New Zealand. His 1955 single, "Pie Cart Rock 'n' Roll", was the first original rock song recorded and released in New Zealand.{{Cite news |date=2014-09-05 |title=Maori Cowboy a Kiwi rock'n'roll pioneer |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/10466516/Maori-Cowboy-a-Kiwi-rock-n-roll-pioneer |access-date=2022-01-19|work=Stuff}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/johnny-cooper |title=Johnny Cooper |website=AudioCulture |date=22 October 2020 |first=Chris |last=Bourke |access-date=21 January 2022}} His song, "Look What You've Done", was covered by Johnny Devlin and became a national favourite, appearing in the 1994 film Once Were Warriors.